Man subjected to exorcisms over ‘witchcraft’ claims fears victims being missed during pandemic

Published

3 years ago

September 17, 2021

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

• 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.”

UK

‘Wonderful’ British man, 31, killed in New Orleans attack is named

Published

3 hours ago

January 4, 2025

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'Wonderful' British man, 31, killed in New Orleans attack is named

A 31-year-old British man is one of 14 people who were killed when an alleged Islamic State supporter drove a truck into crowds celebrating the New Year in New Orleans.

Edward Pettifer, from Chelsea, west London was killed in the attack, the Metropolitan Police confirmed.

His family said it was “devastated” by his death.

“He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many,” the family said in a statement.

“We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private.”

New Orleans’ coroner said the preliminary cause of death for Mr Pettifer was blunt force injuries.

Dozens of people were injured when 42-year-old army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar‘s rented truck rammed into people in New Orleans’ famous Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the attack was “premeditated” and an “evil” act of terrorism, and added Jabbar was “100% inspired by ISIS”, also known as Islamic State.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told Sky News: “We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in New Orleans and are in contact with local authorities.”

The coroner has also identified the majority of the victims in the attack.

They are:

Andrew Dauphin, 26, from Montgomery, Alabama
Kareem Badawi, 23, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Brandon Taylor, 43, from Harvey, Louisiana
Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, from Gretna, Louisiana
Matthew Tenedorio, 25, from Picayune, Mississippi
Ni’Kyra Dedeaux, 18, from Gulfport, Mississippi
Nicole Perez, 27, from Metairie, Louisiana
Reggie Hunter, 37, from Prairieville, Louisiana
Martin Bech, 27, from New York City, New York
Terrence Kennedy, 63, from New Orleans, Louisiana
Elliot Wilkinson, 40, from Slidell, Louisiana
William DiMaio, 25, from Holmdel, New Jersey

The identity of one other victim is unknown, with efforts to identity the female continuing.

The preliminary cause of death for all the victims is blunt force injuries, according to the New Orleans coroner.

The FBI has also revealed that before his attack, Jabbar set fire to a house he had rented in an effort to destroy evidence.

He had placed accelerants throughout the house in his effort to destroy it, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms.

But the fire, which was started in the hallway, had extinguished itself before spreading to other rooms.

Bomb-making materials were found both at the rented accommodation in New Orleans and Jabbar’s home in Houston, Texas. A home-made device suspected of being a rifle silencer was also found in the New Orleans home.

Federal authorities also revealed on Friday that Jabbar had reserved the vehicle used in the deadly attack more than six weeks earlier.

The FBI has said 35 people were injured in the attack, but it expects this number to rise in the coming days as more people go to hospital or contact the bureau.

The University Medical Centre New Orleans said it treated 30 patients who were injured in the attack. Some 13 remain in the hospital’s care, including eight in the intensive care unit.

Meanwhile, federal investigators say Jabbar used a very rare explosive compound in the two functional improvised explosive devices (IEDs) placed by him before the attack, according to Sky’s US partner network NBC News.

The explosive has never been used in any US or European terror attack, officials said. Authorities are now investigating how Jabbar knew how to make this homemade explosive, and why the IEDs did not go off.

UK

Nigel Farage rejects Tommy Robinson after support from Elon Musk

Published

3 hours ago

January 4, 2025

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Nigel Farage rejects Tommy Robinson after support from Elon Musk

Nigel Farage has said Tommy Robinson “won’t be” joining Reform UK after Elon Musk showed support for the jailed far-right activist on social media.

The billionaire owner of X, who has spoken positively about Reform UK and is reportedly considering making a donation to the party, has been critical of the government’s handling of child sexual exploitation across a number of towns and cities more than a decade ago.

While the Reform UK leader described the billionaire owner of X as “an absolute hero figure, particularly to young people in this country”, he distanced himself and his party from Robinson, who is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court.

Mr Musk endorsed the far-right activist and claimed Robinson was “telling the truth” about grooming gangs, writing on X: “Free Tommy Robinson”.

Speaking to broadcasters ahead of the start of Reform UK’s East Midlands Conference tonight, party leader Mr Farage did not directly address Mr Musk’s comments, but said: “He has a whole range of opinions, some of which I agree with very strongly, and others of which I’m more reticent about.”

He went on to say that having Mr Musk’s support is “very helpful to our cause”, describing him as “an absolute hero figure, particularly to young people in this country”.

He continued: “Everyone says, well, what about his comments on Tommy Robinson? Look, my position is perfectly clear on that. I never wanted Tommy Robinson to join UKIP, I don’t want him to join Reform UK, and he won’t be.”

Later on GB News, Mr Farage added that Mr Musk “sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs”.

“But of course the truth is Tommy Robinson’s in prison not for that, but for contempt of court,” he said.

Mr Farage added: “We’re a political party aiming to win the next general election. He’s not what we need.”

How did Elon Musk become involved?

The online campaign from Mr Musk began after it emerged that Home Office minister Jess Phillips had denied requests from Oldham Council to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the borough, as the Conservatives had done in 2022.

In a letter to the authority in Greater Manchester, Ms Phillips said she believes it is “for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the government to intervene”.

An Oldham Council spokesman previously said: “Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation. Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge.”

Mr Musk posted on X multiple times about the scandal, and claimed Sir Keir Starmer had failed to bring “rape gangs” to justice when he led the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). In 2013, Sir Keir introduced new guidelines for how child sexual abuse victims should be treated and how a case should be built and presented in court.

The SpaceX and Tesla boss also endorsed posts about Robinson.

Robinson, who is 42 years old and whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, admitted at Woolwich Crown Court in October to breaching an injunction banning him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee schoolboy, after he was successfully sued for libel in 2021.

UK

Calls for more research into flat head syndrome in babies and whether helmet therapy works

Published

6 hours ago

January 4, 2025

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Calls for more research into flat head syndrome in babies and whether helmet therapy works

A specialist team in Bristol says more research is needed into flat head syndrome, a condition which is thought to affect up to 40% of babies.

Southmead Hospital runs the only NHS clinic offering helmet therapy for infants with flattened heads.

The advice to lie babies on their backs to prevent cot deaths is one of the most successful public health interventions, but can cause babies to develop a flat head.

Most cases are mild and self-correct over time, but babies with moderate to severe cases can be referred to experts in Bristol for cosmetic treatment.

The reconstructive science team takes photos of babies’ heads which are run through 3D software, to help create bespoke helmets with a 3D printer.

Babies usually from the age of six months are advised to wear the helmets for 23 hours a day.

The helmet corrects the condition by relieving pressure on the flat side.

It is a unique clinic; the only NHS trust in the country offering helmet therapy for babies with flat heads, known as plagiocephaly or brachycephaly.

Elsewhere, parents have to go privately, and at a cost of £2,500, it can be prohibitively expensive.

‘There’s not a lot of information out there’

We met mum Becky Darby and her one-year-old son Leo at the Bristol clinic.

Becky says she became worried about the shape of his head when he was four months old. “One side of his head was flat and the rest was perfectly round, but where he was constantly lying on it, it was getting flatter,” she said.

Becky was frustrated by the lack of guidance.

“I didn’t know what I was doing, and there’s not a lot of information out there,” she said.

Leo has been wearing his helmet for five months, and his progress is regularly monitored.

Disputed evidence

Data around flat head syndrome is scarce, and scientists at the clinic are carrying out research to investigate further.

The NHS has said the evidence that the helmets work is “not clear”, and that they can cause other problems like skin irritation and rashes.

“These helmets and headbands generally are not recommended,” according to the NHS.

Senior reconstructive scientist Amy Davey wants to increase awareness and is creating a tool to assess babies, which will help find the “right treatment pathway” for infants.

“There certainly needs to be more research into providing understanding behind when and where we can go and help with helmet therapy, and where there are alternatives,” she said.

Clinicians agree that more research is needed but warn parents should not be put off lying sleeping babies on their backs.

Parents still advised to lie babies on their backs

Dr Joanna Garstang is a community paediatrician and adviser for the cot death charity the Lullaby Trust.

She told us that while flat head syndrome is common, “in nearly all cases it just resolves spontaneously as the baby grows and begins to sit up and crawl”.

Lying babies on their backs is a public health success story, reducing the number of sudden infant deaths by 90% since the late 1980s.

“Even if parents are worried about flat head, putting the baby on the back to sleep is by far the safest way for the baby to sleep. If they’re worried about flat head they should talk to their GP or health visitor,” Dr Garstang said.

Becky Darby says choosing helmet therapy is “the best decision” that she took.

As for Leo, his helmet is working and should be off soon.