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Janet Moses - Source: ONE News -
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One of the most unusual court cases in recent history has begun at the Wellington High Court.
Nine people from one family are accused of killing 22-year-old Janet Moses, by drowning her in an exorcism to rid her of a makutu or curse.
The six women and three men pleaded not guilty to killing her.
The prosecution opened its case on Monday afternoon following legal argument about name suppression which the accused have at present.
Moses is believed to have drowned during the apparent exorcism at her grandparents' home in Wainuiomata in October 2007 while around 40 members of her family looked on.
The accused believed a makutu or evil spirit possessed the young mother of two and that they alone could cure her in a homestyle exorcism.
The accused believed the demon had entered Janet after her sister had stolen a lion statue from a Wairarapa pub.
They took Janet to a tiny Wanuiomata house where they began a water-cleansing ceremony that lasted three days.
Water passed hand to hand from the kitchen tap and poured for hours down her throat until the house was flooded and Janet lay dead.
After a seven-week investigation police arrested the accused.
Justice Simon France told the jurors the trial was not about whether or not they believed in exorcism.
It was whether an unlawful act had been committed.
One of the women and another man have also denied ill-treating a 14-year-old causing her unnecessary suffering.
The defence says Janet Moses consented to the ceremony.
The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.
