Man subjected to exorcisms over ‘witchcraft’ claims fears victims being missed during pandemic
A man who was subjected to two years of exorcisms after being accused of witchcraft believes victims are going undetected in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mardoche Yembi told Sky News his relatives believed he was possessed by an “evil spirit” as a child and blamed him for his mother’s death after moving to London from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He fears youngsters have been at greater risk of the abuse during the UK’s lockdowns after campaigners said children with COVID have been branded witches in some communities.
Mardoche Yembi says he was left ‘scared’ and ‘depressed’ after being accused of witchcraft. Pic Mardoche Yembi
Police have warned cases of child abuse linked to faith or belief are “highly under-reported” – and there are fears school closures during the pandemic have worsened the problem.
Just six cases were recorded by the Metropolitan Police in the first half of 2021, compared to 37 cases throughout the whole of 2018.
Detective Sergeant Kate Bridger told Sky News that abuse by believers in witchcraft and spirit possession “can take all different forms” including physical, sexual and emotional.
“People who are ‘possessed’ could be cut, beaten, or have chilli powder put on any orifice to burn the spirit coming out,” she said.
“Ultimately, a person could be murdered because that person is the vessel for that evil spirit that creates such a risk for the believer.”
• Children killed in UK over witchcraft and possession claims
Fifteen-year-old Kristy Bamu was tortured and murdered by his older sister Magalie and her partner after they accused the teenager of using witchcraft in east London in 2010.
Kristy Bamu was tortured and drowned on Christmas Day because a relative believed he was a witch
Eight-year-old Victoria Climbie was tortured to death in north London in 2000 by her great aunt and her partner after a Christian preacher convinced them she was possessed.
Victoria Climbie was tortured to death in 2000 after her carers believed she was possessed
On Monday, a hospital anaesthetist is due to be sentenced after injecting his partner with drugs during a series of exorcism ceremonies, leaving her close to death with multiple organ failure.
Hossam Metwally made dozens of video recordings of himself administering fluids through a cannula to Kelly Wilson while chanting as part of a “dangerous perversion” of the Islamic Ruqya ritual, Sheffield Crown Court heard.
The 60-year-old, who is originally from Egypt, told the jury he performed rituals on Ms Wilson to exorcise evil spirits, called Jinns, but claimed he only used holy oil and did not inject anaesthetics.
Hossam Metwally is facing jail after injecting his partner with drugs during a series of exorcism ceremonies
However a jury found the father-of-four guilty of endangering Ms Wilson’s life through the unlawful and deliberate intravenous administration of anaesthetics or sedative agents and drug possession offences.
• ‘The pastor came into the house… trying to get the demon off me’
Mr Yembi said he was first branded a witch by relatives at the age of 11 and he faced a two-year ordeal that left him “scared” and “depressed”.
“They took me to church to try to get the ‘demon spirit’ away from me – that’s what they called it,” he told Sky News.
“I started running away from home a lot because there was a lot of shouting and a lot of blaming on me.
“The pastor came into the house a lot, preaching and trying to get the demon off me.”
Mr Yembi said he was threatened with a knife in one incident and, on another occasion, his treasured football trophy was burnt.
Mardoche Yembi, pictured as a teenager, was first branded a witch by relatives at the age of 11. Pic: Mardoche Yembi
“I don’t want any child to go through it,” he said. “It’s just bad. I was depressed. I was in a bad place.
“I just felt lonely.
“I started getting scared.
“I couldn’t do anything in the house. I had to go in my room and lock myself in there.”
• Fears children accused of witchcraft being missed
Before he moved to the UK, Mr Yembi said he had seen children accused of witchcraft in Congo go through horrific rituals in which they were beaten and had chilli pepper rubbed in their eyes.
After his school learnt of a plan to take him back to the African country, Mr Yembi said social services became involved and he was admitted to a mental health hospital after his ordeal left him feeling suicidal, before he was placed in foster care.
The 29-year-old said he was never physically harmed and he has forgiven the relatives involved – who were not prosecuted – but he no longer speaks to them.
“I believe they still believe in it,” he added.
Mr Yembi, who is now a painter and decorator in London, as well as a motivational speaker, said he believes children are still being accused of witchcraft in the UK today.
“With the lockdowns, any kid who is going through it, it doesn’t help to be honest,” he added.
Mardoche Yembi says he doesn’t want other children to go through his ordeal. Pic: Mardoche Yembi
• Children with COVID symptoms accused of being ‘possessed’
International human rights activist Mandy Sanghera said she is aware of cases where people have sought rituals to cure “evil spirits” in children during the pandemic, after they have been blamed for adults losing jobs or being put on furlough.
She said some of those who carry out rituals claim that COVID is not real and tell the parents of children with symptoms of the virus that they are “possessed”.
“People’s religion overrides their common sense sometimes,” she told Sky News.
“We need professionals to be very clear about protection and not political correctness.
“Sometimes people – frontline social workers, police officers – won’t address certain things because they’ll say ‘it’s cultural’ or ‘we don’t want to get involved’. But sometimes it’s too late.”
Ms Sanghera said some people have been charged “hundreds of pounds and even thousands” for exorcisms and rituals to be carried out.
Some parents of children with epilepsy have been told “that was the evil spirit coming out”, she added.
“It’s really shocking some of the things people will believe, in the name of religion and culture,” she said.
• Which cultures and religions believe in witchcraft and spirit possession?
According to the Met Police, child abuse linked to faith or belief is not confined to one faith, nationality or ethnic community.
Examples have been recorded across several religions including Christians, Muslims and Hindus, the force said.
In England, around 1,950 suspected victims of child abuse based on faith or belief were identified by councils in 2018/19 – a 34% increase on the previous year, according to the Local Government Association.
Met Police inspector Allen Davis, who works to tackle abuse linked to faith and belief, told Sky News that the risk had increased during the pandemic.
“We can’t afford for this to be a taboo subject,” he said. “This is about protecting the vulnerable.
“It’s out there. We’re doing something about it.
“If we don’t respond and we don’t intervene early, what can be the worst scenario? That’s when we end up with the tragic child murders that we’re trying to prevent.”
Leethen Bartholomew, head of the National FGM Centre, said the pandemic had resulted in children having less contact with professionals – such as teachers and youth workers – who “spot the signs” of abuse linked to claims of witchcraft and spirit possession.
The organisation has previously warned that if vulnerable children or adults contract COVID, they could be labelled as being witches or possessed by families with those beliefs.
“The pandemic has put extra pressures on families, particularly those living in difficult circumstances, which can fuel harmful acts of abuse or neglect on children,” Mr Bartholomew said.
“So it is important that we support children and young people, create safe spaces to talk about their fears and anxieties and respond appropriately.”
The suspended surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge has been named as paediatric consultant Kuldeep Stohr.
Eight hundred patients operated on by Ms Stohr are having their cases urgently re-examined, after an external review found nine children whose care fell below expected standards.
The initial review was ordered after concerns were raised by her colleagues.
Sky News has seen a copy of the interim report which details several issues relating to complex hip surgeries performed by the surgeon.
One of the parents whose child was identified in the review showed us a recent letter from the hospital which reported “problems with both judgement and technique” in her child’s surgery.
Ms Stohr, who has been suspended since the end of January, said in a statement: “I always strive to provide the highest standards of care to all my patients.
“I am co-operating fully with the trust investigation and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
Tammy Harrison: ‘It was hell’
Left in agonising pain
Tammy Harrison, 12, has cerebral palsy and had surgeries carried out by Ms Stohr. Her operations didn’t work, leaving her in agonising pain.
She said: “My first one was just like trauma. I couldn’t get out of bed for eight weeks. I was either stuck in bed or stuck on the sofa. It was hell.”
Her mum, Lynn, told Sky News: “There is nothing that can put Tammy back to where she was now and that’s the sad thing.
“If I could just click my fingers and have the child back that I had I would do it with a blink of an eye.”
Ms Stohr operated on Lynn Harrison’s daughter
So far, there’s been no confirmation of any wrongdoing in Tammy’s care.
But her family have a meeting at the hospital this week to find out more.
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The trust has asked a panel of specialist clinicians to review all the planned operations carried out by Ms Stohr at Addenbrooke’s. One hundred emergency trauma cases will also be looked at.
Addenbrooke’s is a major regional trauma centre and treats serious emergency patients from all over the region.
One clinician at the hospital told Sky News that the review of so many patients was “creating a lot of extra work”, which was “slowing things down” for other patients awaiting treatment.
Addenbrooke’s Hospital. File pic: PA
At least one extra locum consultant has been helping the team, as they work through the caseload.
Trust apologises
Sky News has been told Cambridge University Hospitals Trust had wanted to identify Ms Stohr before but had been threatened with a legal injunction.
The trust has apologised unreservedly to families and patients. But what’s troubling many is the fact concerns were raised about Ms Stohr a decade ago.
Chief executive of Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, Roland Sinker, has set up another review to examine whether opportunities were missed, and action could have been taken sooner.
The Department of Health described the ongoing situation as “incredibly concerning.”
Sir Keir Starmer promised “bold changes” as he announced he will relax rules around electric vehicles after carmakers were hit by Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The prime minister said “global trade is being transformed” after the US president‘s 25% levy on imported cars, and 10% tariff on other products, came into force.
Jaguar Land Rover has said the firm will “pause” shipments to the US as it looks to “address the new trading terms”.
Trump adviser explains why tariffs put on island inhabited only by penguins
Labour made a manifesto pledge to restore a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars after it had been rolled back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government.
Starmer promises to ‘back British business’. Pic: Reuters
Sir Keir will officially confirm the ban in an announcement on Monday but regulations around manufacturing targets on electric cars and vans will be altered, to help firms in the transition.
Luxury supercar firms such as Aston Martin and McLaren will still be allowed to keep producing petrol cars beyond the 2030 date, because they only manufacture a small number of vehicles per year.
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‘Nothing off the table’ over tariffs
Petrol and diesel vans will also be allowed to be sold until 2035, along with hybrids and plug-in hybrid cars.
The government is also going to make it easier for manufacturers who do not comply with the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which sets sales targets, to avoid fines, and the levies will be reduced.
Sir Keir said: “I am determined to back British brilliance.
“Now more than ever UK businesses and working people need a government that steps up, not stands aside.
“That means action, not words.”
Officials have said support for the car industry will continue to be kept under review as the full impact of the tariffs announced last week becomes clear.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the industry deserves “clarity” in the economic context.
She said: “Our ambitious package of strengthening reforms will protect and create jobs, making the UK a global automotive leader in the switch to EVs, all the while meeting our core manifesto commitment to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.”
Read more:
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Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said the government had “recognised the intense pressure manufacturers are under”, while Colin Walker, a transport analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said the ZEV mandate is a “global success story” in driving a surge in sales of electric vehicles.
It comes as KPMG warned US tariffs on UK exports could see GDP growth fall to 0.8% in 2025 and 2026.
The accountancy firm said higher tariffs on specific categories, such as cars, aluminium and steel, would more than offset the exemption on pharmaceutical exports, leaving the effective tariffs imposed on UK exports at around 12%.
Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, said: “Given the economic impact that tariffs would cause, there is a strong incentive to seek a negotiated settlement that diminishes the need for tariffs. The UK automotive manufacturing sector is particularly exposed given the complex supply chains of some producers.”
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