The Vatican has refused to extradite a Polish archbishop who was accused of sex abuse while serving as papal nuncio in the Dominican Republic.

In a statement the Holy See said that Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski was a citizen of the Vatican, and that Vatican law did not allow for his extradition.

The District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw had requested the clarification, Polish news agency thenews.pl reported today, adding that the Holy See was pursuing its own investigation against the Archbishop.

Archbishop Wesolowski was dismissed as papal nuncio in the Dominican Republic in August last year and was recalled to the Vatican, where is currently believed to be living. He and a Polish priest, Father Wojciech Gil, have been accused of sexually abusing young boys.

The Dominican Republic’s Attorney General last year sent case files concerning Archbishop Wesolowski to Poland and files concerning Fr Gil to the Vatican.

Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, Vatican ambassador to the Dominican Republic from 2008 until 21 August, is pictured celebrating Mass in Santo Domingo in 2009 Photo: CNS