Novena Church exorcism suit begins
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The Electric New Paper :
Ex-national sportswoman claims exorcism forced on her. Priests give different account
SHE claimed she was given a forced exorcism.
By Crystal Chan
24 October 2007
SHE claimed she was given a forced exorcism.
The church said it was just a prayer session.
The trial is due to begin tomorrow in the High Court - three years after the alleged incident.
Madam Amutha Valli, 50, is accusing the Novena Church, two of its priests and seven of its helpers of 'exorcising her' against her will.
The former national walker is asking the High Court to award her compensation for loss of earnings and future medical expenses.
She also said that because of the trauma she suffered, she had to stop giving private tuition. The incident has also left her depressed and she is in need of 24-hour care.
Madam Amutha is leaving it to the High Court to assess the damages, which would be at least $250,000 if she wins. Suits involving at least $250,000 are heard in the High Court.
SAVINGS WIPED OUT
She claimed her medical expenses, amounting to more than $70,000, have wiped out most of her family's savings. This included hiring a maid to look after her.
The trial has been set for three weeks before Justice Lee Seiu Kin.
This is believed to be the first time an exorcism is the subject of a lawsuit here.
Madam Amutha said that on 10 Aug, 2004, she, her son, daughter and a male family friend went to the church at Thomson Road as her son, Mr Jairajkumar Jeyabal, then 27, wanted to pray there.
She claimed that she fainted there, and that Father Simon Tan and Father Jacob Ong took her to a room to rest while her family waited outside.
It is alleged that Father Tan came out of the room and told her family that she was possessed by a spirit and would need to be exorcised.
Both Father Tan and Father Ong are said to have gathered seven other church helpers to assist in the 'exorcism'.
The 'exorcism' lasted about 2 1/2 hours, and Madam Amutha supposedly protested against it.
She claimed she was pinned to the floor by five of the helpers while the two priests stood in front of her and two other helpers recited the Bible.
She also alleged that when she insisted on going to the toilet, Father Tan prevented her from closing the door, resulting in her having to relieve herself under his watch.
Madam Amutha also accused the church helpers, who allegedly held her down, of verbally abusing her and threatening to 'break her head'.
She and her family claimed that the church members told them to leave the place after they demanded to call the police and for an ambulance.
However, the church, the priests and the seven helpers gave a different account.
In his defence, Father Tan said that the actual event was not an exorcism, but a prayer session that had been requested by her and her family.
He denied locking her up against her will, outraging her modesty, or injuring her during the prayer session.
Father Tan claimed it was Madam Amutha who hurled vulgarities at the worshippers and at her own family as well.
He said Madam Amutha was 'violently shaking the grilles leading to the prayer hall', and that her daughter told him then that her mother was 'possessed and suicidal'.
ABUSIVE
He also said that the family was asked to leave the church when Madam Amutha continued to be abusive.
Father Ong's account is similar to Father Tan's, except for one other thing - he claimed Madam Amutha was also creeping on all fours in the church.
He said a man, who claimed to be Madam Amutha's brother, told him she was possessed by a dead soldier's spirit.
Following this, the brother ordered Madam Amutha: 'Soldier, stand up' and 'Soldier, march'.
Madam Amutha then obeyed the 'commands' and started marching.
She then returned to creeping on all fours.
Her family made a police report, but no criminal charges were filed against the defendants.
A report by psychiatrist Angelina Chan of Changi General Hospital stated that Madam Amutha's symptoms are a 'direct result of the traumatic incident that she experienced at the church'.
LAW FIRM REJECTED CASE
The suit was not without its hiccups.
Madam Amutha's family first approached well-known criminal lawyer Mr Subhas Anandan.
But Mr Anandan's then employer, Harry Elias Partnership, told him to reject the case as the law firm has a policy of not acting against a place of worship.
Mr R.S. Bajwa of Bajwa & Co is now representing Madam Amutha.
Novena Church and Father Tan is represented by Mr Tito Isaac and Mr P Padman of Tito Isaac & Co, while Father Ong is represented by Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim and MrDarrell Low of Drew & Napier, as well as Mr Cosmas Gomez of Cosmas & Co.
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wow...........
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Defence lawyers in alleged exorcism trial uncover plaintiff's past
24 October 2007 2129 hrs (SST)
SINGAPORE: A landmark trial, believed to be the first in Singapore on alleged exorcism, started its hearing in the High Courts on Wednesday.
Two priests, the Novena Church and seven church choir members are being sued for allegedly forcing a rite of exorcism on Amutha Valli on 10 August 2004.
Lawyers defending the Novena Church and its helpers said the 50-year-old plaintiff has hatched up a scam for compensation of at least a quarter of a million dollars.
The court also heard how she had tried to hide her 25 years of psychiatric medical record.
Justice Lee Seiu Kin, who is presiding over the case, has visited the church grounds to retrace what happened on that fateful night.
He was accompanied by five teams of prosecution and defence lawyers.
Amutha, a former national sportswoman and private tutor, had gone to Novena Church to pray with her son, daughter and sworn brother.
She allegedly fainted while praying.
Defence lawyers said Amutha "slithered like a snake, rattled on the grilles, and marched like a soldier on command of her sworn brother" – a sight that frightened many who were in the church at that time.
Among the issues of contention is whether her family members were the ones who said she was possessed and needed a rite of exorcism.
Amutha and her family are claiming that they did not give consent to the "exorcism" and that the priests had conducted the rite against her will.
The plaintiff also claimed the priests physically abused her, leaving her traumatised in that two-and-half-hour session.
The church, on the other hand, said what it did was just a prayer, not a rite of exorcism.
They had stepped in to restrain the woman as she had apparently turned violent and started strangling herself.
Amutha is now suing the church for compensation of at least S$250,000 for loss of ability to work and function normally.
Shortly after she filed her suit against the church last year, the church's lawyers engaged a private investigator to check on the woman's private life.
The investigator found that the woman was actually quite well, and she was able to go to the gym regularly, walk freely without the help of a walking stick and go to the bathroom all by herself. She was not afraid to be left alone with strangers as well.
He also reported that Amutha appeared weak and pale only on the days when she had to see her doctors.
Lawyers said the private investigator's findings contrast with Amutha's claims that the alleged exorcism left her physically and mentally fragile.
Defence lawyers told the court that Amutha had a 25-year history of psychiatric problems and a record of alcohol abuse, which she tried to hide.
She saw psychiatrists at the National University Hospital in the late 1980s and was admitted to the Institute of Mental Health for alcohol intoxication.
Members of the public sitting into the trial gasped when a lawyer said Amutha used to drink a bottle of gin a day.
Lawyers uncovered that she once drank blood that was offered to her by murderer Adrian Lim, and she had also allowed Lim to electrically shock her.
Given her long medical history, the lawyers argued the alleged exorcism act should not be held liable for the 'post-traumatic stress disorder' she claims to be suffering.
The only sensible conclusion, they said, is that this is a scam that has been hatched up for money.
The trial on Wednesday started with the cross-examination of her 22-year-old daughter, Subashini Jeyabal.
Hearing continues on Thursday.
- CNA/so -
exciting hor?Originally posted by mhcampboy:wow...........
Can make into a movie liao
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roman catholics exorcism must ask permission from holy see no?
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really interesting...
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what has the choir members have to do with all this?!
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the family no account de ar?
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Not sure about the Holy See. But I know have to inform the Archbishop and get his approval. Then the Archbishop has to go on fasting or prayer. Something like that. It's not as simple as what people commonly believe or what we see in movies -- ie. priests go to the place or person and sprinkle holy water.Originally posted by mhcampboy:roman catholics exorcism must ask permission from holy see no?
That's why when the woman said the priests performed exorcism without her permission. It's a big big question mark there. It's either she is hallucinating or lying; or the priests were ignorant about the right procedure. -
ya, I look forward to some director making a movie out of this story. heheheOriginally posted by stellazio:really interesting... -
Let's see tomorrow's news.Originally posted by cApitaland:what has the choir members have to do with all this?!
I'm going to follow this really closely. -
maybe its just a misunderstanding about whether its a prayer or an exorcism or some rituals carried too far?Originally posted by Honeybunz:Not sure about the Holy See. But I know have to inform the Archbishop and get his approval. Then the Archbishop has to go on fasting or prayer. Something like that. It's not as simple as what people commonly believe or what we see in movies -- ie. priests go to the place or person and sprinkle holy water.
That's why when the woman said the priests performed exorcism without her permission. It's a big big question mark there. It's either she is hallucinating or lying; or the priests were ignorant about the right procedure. -
I think should have bah. I think the daughter did give her account cuz the defense lawyer did say that this is a scam by the family.Originally posted by Agenda:the family no account de ar? -
tsk... suing the church is like suing.... jesus?
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We will see what the defendant has to say lor.Originally posted by hisoka:maybe its just a misunderstanding about whether its a prayer or an exorcism or some rituals carried too far? -
got a feeling it's a scam..
exorcism is never taken lightly by priests... and requires a long long time for the church to check that it is not medical or psychological in nature...
and priests KNOW that they have to get permission from the Archbishop.. -
hahahOriginally posted by mhcampboy:tsk... suing the church is like suing.... jesus?
I thought only in USA there's such case.
Last time in the drama series Ally McBeal, Ally represented a terminally ill boy who wanted to sue God. -
if you look at it from the spiritual sense.
if a demon's possessing someone, would he give in to an exorcism?
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harnor.Originally posted by the Bear:got a feeling it's a scam..
exorcism is never taken lightly by priests... and requires a long long time for the church to check that it is not medical or psychological in nature...
and priests KNOW that they have to get permission from the Archbishop.. -
yeah.. thing is, it's already known that there is psychological problems.. they will not do the exorcism.. because it's not the thing...
heck! if a crappy catholic boy who sleeps during Mass like me knows that, the priests at St Alphonsus would...Originally posted by Honeybunz:harnor. -
Obviously, the plaintiff watched too many movies liao.Originally posted by the Bear:yeah.. thing is, it's already known that there is psychological problems.. they will not do the exorcism.. because it's not the thing...
heck! if a crappy catholic boy who sleeps during Mass like me knows that, the priests at St Alphonsus would... -
Oh ya. I forgot to mention. The Wanbao also reported on this. It says that the defense lawyer revealed that the plaintiff has ever taken the human blood that she bought from Adrian Lim. Dunno how true leh. How did he find out? From his PI? I was curious to read the article because of Adrian Lim's photo was on the front page.
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wah lao eh..
i think the woman is barking mad
Originally posted by Honeybunz:Oh ya. I forgot to mention. The Wanbao also reported on this. It says that the defense lawyer revealed that the plaintiff has ever taken the human blood that she bought from Adrian Lim. Dunno how true leh. How did he find out? From his PI? I was curious to read the article because of Adrian Lim's photo was on the front page. -
The Straits Times
Latest News
[i]High court Judge Lee Seiu Kin and lawyers visit the church at Thomson Road. -- ST PHOTO: FRANCIS ONG
Oct 24, 2007
Woman in exorcism suit was 'slithering like snake, screaming like Satan'
By Jermyn Chow
The woman at the centre of the exorcism suit against Novena Church was 'slithering like a snake, shouting and screaming like Satan and marching like a soldier,' a defence lawyer told the High Court at the start of the trial on Wednesday morning.
Another defence counsel said Madam Amutha Valli, 50, who is seeking damages for what she claimed was a forced exorcism on her, was an alcoholic.
These startling revelations were made at the opening of the hearing in the High Court to determine if the Catholic priests had performed an exorcism ritual on Madam Amutha at the Novena Church in Thomson Road three years ago.
Madam Valli was not in court. Her lawyers said she was unwell and would only be able to attend the hearing next week.
The private tutor and mother of two is alleging that she was held for about 2 1/2 hours in a room at the well-known Catholic church.
She is seeking damages, claiming she was confined and subjected to what she believes were rites of exorcism on the night of Aug 10, 2004.
Sues Redemptorist Order
The former national walker is suing the Redemptorist Order, which runs Novena Church, two priests and seven others for damages for loss of earnings and future medical expenses.
In her court documents, she claims she was abused, strangled, pinned down and asked repeatedly to identify herself.
She claims the experience left her traumatised and unable to work, and that she has suffered relapses in her mental state, needing continuing medical attention.
The defendants have denied her claims. They say her family members had consented to a prayer session being held for her and that she was possessed.
Mr Raghbir Singh Bajwa, who is representing Madam Valli together with Mr Raj Shergill and Ms Anuradha Tiwary, said in his opening statement that the case was "not an attack on the religion."
'We are not saying that the defendants acted with malice or wicked intentions,' said Mr Bajwa.
'They may want to help the plaintiff. But what they did they should not have done... they have caused damage to her.'
'They had a duty of care and they breached that duty of care.'
'An unbelievable story'
Mr Tito Isaac, who is representing Father Simon Tan and the Redemptorist Order, described the plaintiff's claims as 'an unbelievable story', and said the defence would prove that they were not true.
In his opening remarks, Mr Isaac said Madam Valli did not tell doctors about her long medical and psychiatric history which stretched back over 20 years.
Mr Issac said that he would produce witnesses to show that 'she was rattling the gates, slithering like a snake, shouting and screaming like Satan with a man's voice and marching like a soldier' when the priests and the other defendants went to her help that night at a family member's behest.
'Incredible story'
Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim, who is defending Father Jacob Ong, the other priest, also described Madam Valli's allegations as an 'incredible story', and 'a well-hatched up scam'.
Mr Anthony Lee, who is representing the other defendents with Mr Denis Tan, said the diagnosis of Madam Valli was 'erroneous' because proper medical practices were not followed.
Mr Lee said he would also establish that the plaintiff was an alcoholic and sought treatment for alcohol abuse at the Institute of Mental Health.
He charged that she drank a bottle of gin a day.
The first witness to take the stand was Madam Valli's daughter, Ms Subashini Jayabel, 22, a student at PSB Academy. Under cross-examination by Mr Issac, who showed her medical reports from IMH and NUH, she said she could not believe that the woman mentioned in the reports was her mother.
'She was the fittest woman I ever knew. You should see her on the track,' said Ms Jayabel, who said her mother was their training coach.
Hearing continues in the afternoon.
The trial is expected to last 12 days. -
I drank Adrian Lim's blood: Madam Valli's medical case notes
She was an alcoholic, took drugs and had been suffering from a whole host of psychiatric problems since 1989.
But Madam Amutha Valli, 50, kept mum about her medical history, and had even implored her past doctors not to reveal the truth, the High Court was told on Wednesday, at the start of the hearing into the exorcism rites she had alleged were forced on her by priests of Novena Church three years ago.
In their opening statements, defence lawyers for the two priests and seven other defendants who are being sued by Madam Valli, presented hospital records of National University Hospital, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Institute of Mental Health where she had been receiving treatment for her mental disorders.
Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim from Drew & Napier, who is defending Father Jacob Ong, with Mr Darrell Low, told the court that Madam Valli was found to be in a "dissociative state" as far back as December 1986.
Dissociative trance disorder, to a lay person, clergyman or priest, is a state akin to possession.
Madam Valli was diagnosed as suffering from "hysterical dissociative neurosis" in January 1987, according to her medicals records kept by NUH, which treated her from 1986 to 1989.
The NUH case notes also detailed her history of entering into trances, including one where she had glided on the floor like a snake.
Excerpts of the case notes were presented in court on Wednesday:
One of them, dated Dec 26, 1986, states: "glides on floor, hissing like a snake last 1-3 minutes slumps onto ground and regain normal consciousness. unable to recall events during trance."
Another, dated Jan 6, 1987, said she went to see the notorious medium Adrian Lim sometime in 1984 to get a cure for her trances.
ADRIAN LIM -- ST FILE PHOTO
Lim, 41, his wife Tan Mui Choo, 28, and mistress Hoe Kah Hong, 27, murdered two schoolchildren, aged nine and 10, in early 1981. All three were hanged in 1988.
Excerpts of the case notes said she saw Lim twice and drank his blood and went into a trance together with him. She added that Lim gave her shock treatment by electrocution.
She stopped seeing after she found out about the murders he had committed from newspaper reports. She felt "guilty and embarrassed," she told the NUH doctors.
A Jan 21, 1987 case note gave a glimpse into her personal history.
The excerpts read: "started going into trances for religious purposes at age 12. Trances at religious ceremonies at home - encouraged by mother, family and neighbour. Becomes incarnation of snake god and predicts and foretells fortune, past, present."
The court also heard that she told her doctor at Flame Tree Clinic on Oct 21, 2005, which she had asked for a medical report on her mental state, not to mention any of her family problems, alcoholism and depression.
Her doctor, apparently told her that suppression of information would not be right as it would be "a great omission of the truth".
On Nov 10, 2006, Madam Valli, in a sworn statement, insisted that the only psychiatric condition which she had suffered from was stress and alcohol dependency and she had been hospitalised at the IMH. Yet, in IHM's case notes dated Oct 30, 2006, she called an IMH doctor and told him that she "never had treatment at NUH before."
Madam Valli was also seen by psychhiatrists, Prof Ong Thiew Chai of Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Dr Angelina Chan of Changi General Hospital in on Sept 3 and April 15, 2005 respectively, but their medical reports of her condition make no mention her psychiatric history prior to the Aug 10, 2004 incident at Novena Church.
It was later revealed that she did not bring her past history in NUH to their attention.
"It is submitted that all these omissions of past medical/psychiatric history deprived both Prof Ong and Dr Chan from arriving at a true and complete evaluation of the plaintiff's actual psychiatric condition," said Mr Yim.