Polish priest confesses to killing homeless man in property dispute

A Catholic priest in Poland is set to be dismissed from the clergy after confessing to killing a homeless man.

The archbishop of Warsaw, Adrian Galbas, has requested the highest ecclesiastical penalty from the Vatican due to the severity of the crime and the public outcry, a church spokesman told the PAP news agency in comments released Sunday.

According to the public prosecutor's office, the 60-year-old head of a small parish south of Warsaw confessed to the crime. The authorities said an arrest warrant for an initial three months had been issued while the murder investigation is underway.

The 68-year-old victim was found seriously injured and burning on a road near the village of Chynów on Thursday evening, and later died from his injuries.

A witness reported seeing the priest's car at the scene, which led to the suspect being detained on Friday. He faces life imprisonment.

The priest reportedly got into an argument with the man while driving together and struck him on the head with an axe, before dousing him in petrol and setting him on fire.

Investigators believe the motive was linked to a donation agreement, in which the priest agreed to look after the man for the rest of his life and arrange accommodation for him in return for a donation. The priest said the dispute was about the man's future housing.

Galbas said he had no explanation for the brutal crime but felt responsible for what was happening in his church. "I ask for forgiveness," he wrote, according to PAP.