A Nigerian couple, Lizzy Idahosa, 24, and her husband Jackson Omoruyi, 41 are currently standing trial in Britain for trafficking two women into and around the UK and inciting them to work as a prostitutes. One of the women who was 20 at the time, told Cardiff Crown Court how she was left with scars all over her body after being subjected to the 'juju ceremony', in which she was also forced to eat a live snail. Giving evidence, the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said:
'The juju man was standing there with a big knife, like you use for cutting grass. I was scared because I did not know what he was going to do to me. He used the blade to make marks on me. It was sore and it left me with scars.'
She was told that if she broke her vows of secrecy, she would become ill or infertile:
'Before I got to the house, I had no idea what would happen. When I arrived, Lizzy's sister and the juju man told me I would be swearing an oath. I was there for a couple of hours. They brought out a live snail and broke its shell, then they asked me to swallow it. They gave me some dirty water to drink.
I had to give my underwear to his assistant and the juju man cut the backs of my legs with a machete and marked me with a razor blade. It made me bleed and I had pain in my legs. I did everything they asked me because I really wanted to go to London.'
Idahosa denies a total of seven charges, which also include transferring criminal property. Her partner and co-accused Omoruyi denies three charges of inciting the women to become prostitutes and transferring criminal property.
The woman was arrested while working at the Ambassador Suite in Cardiff in June 2010. The case continues.
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