This strange case of a kind of 'exorcism in Gau Island now has the outcome of fining the bosso and not just the men who ransacked a house! Items from the Fiji on-line media. Fijilive and Fiji Sun.
Exorcism gone wrong
Shalveen Chand
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
THE Methodist Church in
Fiji was ordered to pay a father and son $28,000 after an alleged exorcism
organised by Methodist Church on their island village led to the destruction of
their vacant home.
Father and son Ravuama Vonu and
Akariva Vura filed claims against Reverend Simione Koroi, the Methodist
minister on Gau Island, church steward Keverieli Vonu, the Methodist Church in
Fiji, police officers on Gau, Commissioner of Police and the Attorney-General.
In their claim, the father and
son said they had a house in Nacavanadi Village on Gau but didn't stay there
because Mr Vonu stayed in Suva while Mr Vura was teaching on Koro Island.
In April 2007 when Mr Vonu went
to his village he found the house had been broken into and the chattels were
broken or damaged and missing and the concrete floor was smashed and the earth
underneath dug up.
The explanation given to Mr
Vonu by his relatives in the village was that the Methodist minister and the
steward brought a woman to Nacavanadi Village from Naivikinikini in Lami who
supposedly had cleansing powers.
During the prayer session at
Nacavanadi Methodist Church, a member of the congregation supposedly became
possessed with a spirit and the spirit told the congregation Mr Vonu practised
witchcraft and worshipped a skull — supposedly in the house.
The minister, Mr Koroi and the
steward Mr Vonu with the support of members of the congregation broke into the
house and damage the house but didn't find a skull.
The plaintiffs alleged the
first and second defendants breached their respective duties of care as church
officials of the Methodist Church in Fiji.
In conclusion, the court said
the church minister, being a religious leader in the area where people looked
up to him for guidance, had misused his authority.
"He not only failed in his
duty of care but induced the people in the village to destroy the properties of
the plaintiffs and I have no hesitation to hold him liable for the damages
caused to the plaintiffs' house and the chattels," Justice Chandrasiri
Kotigalage said.
The Methodist Church was found
to be vicariously liable because the church was the one responsible for the minister
and failed to exercise their duty of care. The court ordered Mr Koroi and the
Methodist Church to pay $28,045.76 to the father and son within 30 days.
Church to Study Sorcery Ruling
Court
orders Methodist Church to pay more than $28,000 to victims
MAIKA
BOLATIKI
The
Methodist Church will study a High Court ruling that has ordered it to pay more
than $28,000 to a school teacher and his father, in an alleged witchcraft case.
Church general secretary Reverend Tevita Banivanua said last night they were aware of the ruling. He said there were two options for them – one was to file an appeal and the other was for all defendants to share the cost.
Reverend Banivanua said the church had been linked to the case because the pastor allowed a Suva prayer group into his area of pastoral jurisdiction in Navacanadi, Gau, in 2007. He said the group, led by a woman from Rewa, held a prayer session. The group claimed that during the session it received spiritual revelations that a school teacher and his father were practising witchcraft.
The group leader accused the teacher of witchcraft and worshipping a skull inside his house.
Group members then ransacked his house and dug around looking for a skull. They left without finding it. Reverend Banivanua said a report of the incident was sent to the church office and after a thorough investigation they suspended the pastor. The Reverend said the pastor was back at work.
He said a Suva lawyer, the late Qoriniasi Bale, was representing the church in the case.
“When he passed away we tended to forget this case, but now the ruling says that we have to pay $28,000 and we respect the ruling,” Reverend Banivanua said.
He said it was unfortunate that the church had been penalised, especially when the prayer group was not sent to the island by the church.
Church general secretary Reverend Tevita Banivanua said last night they were aware of the ruling. He said there were two options for them – one was to file an appeal and the other was for all defendants to share the cost.
Reverend Banivanua said the church had been linked to the case because the pastor allowed a Suva prayer group into his area of pastoral jurisdiction in Navacanadi, Gau, in 2007. He said the group, led by a woman from Rewa, held a prayer session. The group claimed that during the session it received spiritual revelations that a school teacher and his father were practising witchcraft.
The group leader accused the teacher of witchcraft and worshipping a skull inside his house.
Group members then ransacked his house and dug around looking for a skull. They left without finding it. Reverend Banivanua said a report of the incident was sent to the church office and after a thorough investigation they suspended the pastor. The Reverend said the pastor was back at work.
He said a Suva lawyer, the late Qoriniasi Bale, was representing the church in the case.
“When he passed away we tended to forget this case, but now the ruling says that we have to pay $28,000 and we respect the ruling,” Reverend Banivanua said.
He said it was unfortunate that the church had been penalised, especially when the prayer group was not sent to the island by the church.
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