Exorcism went on day and night

'She lost the battle with the curse'

Photo gallery: Makutu case accused

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CRAIG SIMCOX/The Dominion Post Zoom

Hall Jones Wharepapa, 46, is jointly charged with the manslaughter of Janet Moses.

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The grandfather of a woman allegedly drowned in a curse-cleansing ritual has said he left when someone threw water on him while trying to douse his granddaughter.

The Crown alleges Janet Moses, 22, died during a supposed exorcism or curse-lifting ceremony at a Wainuiomata property on October 12, 2007.

Charles Moses said in the High Court at Wellington today that members of her maternal extended family - nine of whom are charged with manslaughter - were trying to get rid of her pain.

He saw John Rawiri, her uncle, pressing his thumbs on her eyes. He thought he saw Rawiri sucking on her eyeballs but now knew that was a mistake and he had actually seen Rawiri bending low looking into her eyes.

"I didn't stay too long after that. After I got a couple of cups of water thrown over me I walked out."

"I said, 'What the hell are you doing?'"

"I thought I would get the hell out of there quick before I blew up."

Mr Moses was Ms Moses' paternal grandfather.

Earlier the court had heard the evidence read of her maternal grandfather, John Rawiri senior, who said the rituals had carried on day and night.

When he was told she had died he cried himself to sleep.

"I can only assume that she lost the battle with the curse."

GRANDMOTHER'S EVIDENCE

This morning the court heard from Ms Moses' paternal grandmother, who told of how her concern turned to fear at the change in her granddaughter's behaviour.

Janet Moses senior said she thought her granddaughter's unresponsiveness in October 2007 could have been a sign of depression.

She spent time with Ms Moses at a Wainuiomata flat where Ms Moses' maternal aunts and uncles and cousins gathered.

Mrs Moses said the family believed a lion statue taken from the Greytown Hotel was responsible for evil spirits making Ms Moses sick.

The atmosphere at the flat had been sad but then changed when they knew they had to take the lion back.

Mrs Moses said she sat beside Ms Moses on the drive to Greytown. On the Rimutaka Hill road Ms Moses tried to open the car door and push her.

"Then she said: "When this car stops I'm going to kill you."

When the car stopped Ms Moses turned and said "Now."

"She just turned at me and I was gone," Mrs Moses said.

She agreed that she had said the Lord's Prayer kneeling beside Janet, the last line of which was "Deliver us from evil".

THE ACCUSED, THE CHARGES

Nine members of Janet Moses' extended family are charged with her manslaughter, which the Crown alleges was the result of an attempt to remove a curse a makutu or evil spirit.

Two people, whose names are suppressed, are charged with cruelty to a 14-year-old girl in their care.

The charges date from October 12, 2007, at Wainuiomata, when the Crown alleges Ms Moses and others were subjected to a water-based ceremony resulting in Ms Moses drowning.

- © Fairfax NZ News