Nov 1, 2007
Exorcism hearing adjourned to Nov 14
By Jermyn Chow
THE exorcism suit has been adjourned to Nov 14 after the woman at
the centre of the case said she could not remember anything about
her personal and family background, and her medical history.
Justice Lee Seiu Kin summoned lawyers for both sides into his
chambers after defence lawyer Tito Isaac drew a blank to almost
every question he put to Madam Amutha Valli, 51, during
cross-examination in the afternoon.
When asked about her medical history, Madam Valli insisted that she
had never been hospitalised or admitted to National University
Hospital, contrary to what the medical records tendered in court
had stated.
'I was very fit... I was representing Singapore. I had no
sickness,' said the ex-national walker who is seeking compensation
from the Redemptorist Order of Catholic priests who run the Novena
Church in Thomson Road, two priests and several church-goers for
what she claims was forced exorcism on her, which left her unable
to work.
She could not recall having worked as a morse code operator in
Singapore Telecoms. Neither could she tell if she was the third
child in a family of eight, although she had earlier confirmed
those details when her lawyer, Mr R.S. Bajwa took her through her
entire affidavit.
To almost every question Mr Isaac asked about herself, she
responded by saying she could not remember anything.
For instance, when asked about her father, she started wailing and
said: 'I have no father now. He is dead. If he knew that I came to
court, he will be very sad.'
After an hour of futile grilling, Justice Lee asked the lawyers to
see him in chambers.
When they emerged shortly after, Justice Lee said he had adjourned
the suit to Nov 14 - after only four days of hearing .
At Thursday morning hearing, Madam Valli's maid sat next to her in
the witness box, and was seen calming her when she could not
control her emotions.
She sobbed and bawled as her lawyer took her through various parts
of her affidavit - in a repeat of Wednesday when she took the
stand. Her maid also cried with her.
When Mr Bajwa recounted the scene in the room where the plaintiff
had claimed she was pinnned down by two men while the two priests
were carrying out the alleged exorcism rites, Madam Valli burst
out: 'Don't strangle me, don't strangle me. Leave me alone.'
She also demonstrated to Justice Lee how she was held down to the
floor by the two men.
She started bawling and hitting her forehead when Mr Bajwa read out
her statement about Father Simon Tan's insistence in wanting to
hear her urinate when she was in the toilet.
Mid-way through reading her affidavit, Mr Bajwa had to remind her
to compose herself as she repeatedly broke down and buried her face
in her hands.
Earlier on Thursday morning, the lawyers for both sides and the two
priests - Father Simon and Father Jacob Ong - met behind
closed-door chambers for a discussion before hearing resumed,
When hearing began, Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim, who is acting for
Father Jacob, applied to the court to allow psychiatrist Dr Dr Ken
Ung Eng Khean, of Adam Road Medical Centre, to sit in as an
observer during Madam Valli's testimony.
Opposing the request, the plaintiff's lawyer, Mr Bajwa said Dr Ung
will be partial when he takes the stand.
Justice Lee disallowed Mr Yim's application and Dr Ung had to leave
the courtroom.
Before proceeding to cross-examine Madam Valli, Mr Isaac, who is
acting for the Redemptorist Order and Father Simon, sought to put
her at ease.
'I am not going to hurt you. This is a temple of justice. There's
nothing to worry about,' he assured her.
Asked to give the dates of birth of her two children, son
Jairajkumar Jayabal, 28, and daughter Subashini Jeyabal, 22, Madam
Valli kept stating Aug 10, 2004 - the date of the alleged forced
exorcism on her in Novena Church.
Earlier, before Madam Valli took the stand, her daughter, Ms
Subashini Jeyabel was overheard telling her mother to 'be calm' and
'not to look at anyone in the courtroom besides the lawyer'.
She and her family arrived in court at about 9.15am, avoiding the
media glare outside.
About 70 people packed the public gallery of Court 4D on Thursday
morning, some of them turning up as early as 7.30a.m.
from ST online[/url]
