Witchcraft and child abuse in Hackney (2005)

An astonishing story that I read today in The Times (U.K.):

According to reports, an unnamed 8-year old Angolan girl (now 10) in London’s East End borough of Hackney was accused by a boy, perhaps her cousin (no one’s quite sure, though all the characters in this horrible story seem to be related), of being a witch – that is, of having ndoki, or being in a witch-like state of possession. She was subsequently subjected to 15 months of daily torture by her aunt, who had brought her to England from Angola in 2002 and who was pretending to be her mother (her real parents likely died in Angola), and various other relatives. Sometime during the period of abuse, she was stuffed in a laundry bag and almost dumped in a canal. The abuse went largely unnoticed by teachers, social workers, and neighbours, and the girl was only rescued when street wardens found her with facial injuries.

Key passages from the story:

A GIRL aged 8 was stuffed into a bag after being denounced as a witch and was moments from being drowned in a canal by her family, a court was told yesterday. She had been starved, beaten, cut with a knife and had chilli peppers rubbed in her eyes in the plot to kill her, it was said…

Now aged 10, she attended a school in Hackney, but had considerable periods of absence. It was only after a medical examination in January 2004 that the extent of her injuries were found. She had scars on her face, one 3 cm deep, and injuries consistent with being hit with a belt buckle and stabbed with the tip of a knife. The aunt was arrested. Ms Kisanga is charged with child cruelty and conspiracy to murder.

Mr Pinto, 33, is charged with aiding and abetting child cruelty. Kiwonde Kiese, 21, Mr Pinto’s girlfriend, is charged with aiding and abetting child cruelty. The aunt, 38, faces five counts of child abuse and one of conspiracy to murder. She is also accused of wilfully illtreating and assaulting the girl.

All four deny the charges and blame each other, claiming that they did not know of the attacks. The trial continues.

Said the prosecutor, Patricia May: “There’s a feeling that in Britain in 2005… no adult would believe it.” Well, believe it. This stuff goes on right under the noses of our eyes-wide-shut moral complacency. Let’s hope the accused get what they deserve. And that the poor girl can somehow lead a healthy, happy life after recovering from her living nightmare.