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NIGERIA: Bishop charged with killing ‘witch children’ after TV confession
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CHILDREN TARGETTED: Over hundred kids may have been killed by crazed ‘bishop’
Torture and murder claims involving 110 kids made in Channel 4 documentary
A self-styled ‘bishop’ who confessed to allegedly killing 110 ‘witch’ children in a Channel 4 documentary last year, is to again face court on murder charges next month.
Sunday Okon Williams and four others will face a court on June 8, ThisDay newspaper reported.
They are facing torture and murder charges over claims they made in the Channel 4 documentary, Saving Africa’s Witch Children, which was broadcast on November 12, 2008.
In the documentary, Williams claimed he had the power to exorcise witchcraft spirits from children. He also claimed he allegedly killed 110 children in Akwa Ibom State while trying to exorcise witchcraft from them.
Williams, founder of a spiritual healing home at Ibaka, Mbo Local Government area, and the four others last appeared before an Oron High Court on May 14.
The other accused persons include Pastor Samuel Excellence, Udeme Okon William, Ezekiel Bassey Oforkudok and Akpe Alfred Akpe.
They have all pleaded not guilty, with newswire, Reuters, reporting that Williams has since recanted his statement, saying he only killed the "witchcraft spirit" in the children.
They were arrested by embarrassed Nigerian government officials shortly after the documentary was aired.
Presiding Judge, Justice Archibong Archibong, denied them bail so they will remain at Eket Prison until the next court date.
Reuters said rights campaigners have long lamented the damage done to children by fraudulent pastors or "witchdoctors" in some parts of Nigeria.
Many convince parents that their children are possessed and will bring misfortune such as divorce or disease, in order to extort money to perform exorcisms, Reuters said.
Gary Foxcroft, program director of Stepping Stones Nigeria, a nonprofit that helps alleged witch children in the region told CNN recently that states of Akwa Ibom and Cross River have about 15,000 children branded as witches. Most of them end up abandoned and abused on the streets, he added.
Published: 25 May 2009
Issue: 1373
