A 17-year-old first-year student has been reportedly defiled by an elder with the Nzema Anyinase Catholic Church in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.
The 38-years-old man identified as Nana Kojo, who also doubles as a herbalist, is said to have defiled the student in an attempt to cast out bad spirits from her, which could affect her chances of bearing a child in future, 3news.com reports
In an interview with the Ellembelle District Social Welfare Officer and paralegal of the Western Region, Jonas Kabutey, he said that people visit Nana Kojo for spiritual assistance.
"Apart from his position in the church, he is labelled a herbalist, and people go to him with their problems. The teenager was taken to him for spiritual assistance, and he took advantage of her," he said.
Confirming the report, the teenager (name withheld) said Nana Kojo defiled her by inserting his manhood in her private part, which he claims will help her cast out the demon although she told him she was a virgin.
He said after three encounters, she did not speak to anyone on the matter because she assumed it was part of the healing.
In an interview she said,
"He told me there is a bad spirit chasing me, so he needed to cast it out else I can never give birth. When my father took me to his house, he asked if I had taken my bath, and I said no. He then asked me to go and fetch water and take my bath.
"When I came back, he took me to his room and told me he had to insert his manhood in my vagina to enable him to take out the bad spirit from me. He said I could not give birth if he did not break my virginity.
"He slept with me three different times, but I could not tell anyone because I thought it was part of the healing process since my father had told me to be submissive to him whilst healing me," she narrated.
He said after three encounters with the herbalist, he promised to marry her as a third wife.
"He later told me that I was beautiful and he would want to marry me and make me his third wife, but I declined. He said I had declined him because he is ugly, but I told him I was young and was even still a virgin before visiting his premises," she added.
The brother of the victim, David Ndadiah, the herbalist is requesting an out-of-court settlement for the family.
"We have reported the case to the police station after medical forms were released.
"The herbalist is here pleading for us to settle the case at home, but we will not allow it," he indicated.
Meanwhile, the Ellembelle District Social Welfare Office has said the victim is currently undergoing psychological trauma while he insists the case should proceed to court.
"The case must be transferred to a higher court. I will advise parents to be vigilant if they send their teenage daughters to herbalists for a cure," Mr. Jonas Kabutey indicated.
NYA/SEA
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