Exorcism accused to stand trial

ROSS GIBLIN/The Dominion Post

AT REST: Janet Moses, inset, died during an apparent exorcism ritual in a house in Wainuiomata.

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The stone lion said to have caused a curse on Janet Moses, the Wainuiomata mother who later died in an exorcism ceremony, is one of the exhibits at a depositions hearing for the nine people accused of her death.

The six women and three men, all members of Ms Moses' extended family, will stand trial in the High Court at Wellington, jointly charged with manslaughter, after their five lawyers agreed they had a case to answer.

Police say Ms Moses, 22, drowned in her grandparents' home in October last year after she was allegedly held down and had water poured down her throat to lift a makutu, or Maori curse, as up to 40 family members watched.

In Lower Hutt District Court yesterday, the nine accused each stood individually and answered "not guilty" to the charge. A tenth man pleaded not guilty to cruelty to a child. He was charged after a 14-year-old was also injured.

Evidence in the form of 98 written statements and 40 exhibits was handed to two justices of the peace, including a large ripped sheet of paper containing words in Maori, titled "Whanau Karakia" and handwritten in block letters.

The stone lion, said to be the cause of the makutu after a family member allegedly stole it from the Greytown Hotel a week before the ceremony, also stood at the front of the court during the hearing.

At an earlier hearing to decide name suppression, the two justices of the peace silenced another of Ms Moses' family who asked to be heard to appeal for the names of the accused to be revealed.

The media also argued that it had been 10 months since Ms Moses' death and open justice should be allowed to prevail. But prosecution and defence lawyers asked for continued suppression in the interests of a fair trial.

Interim name suppression was granted, and the accused were bailed till September 22.

Bail conditions include that they not participate or advise in any ceremonies.