Council caretaker Anthony Harrison, 32, is alleged to have raped two trafficked girls who were subjected to African black magic rituals, court reports have said.

A British court heard that ceremonies were made by a Juju priest in Nigeria so that the girls would be permanently bonded to lives of slavery. Juju rituals are greatly feared in Nigeria because of the priests’ perceived power to control the victims.

Woolwich Crown Court heard that during the rituals, the 16-year-old girl was stripped then slashed with a razor so that the priest could collect her blood. Later the priest tied her up and put her in a coffin, pouring the blood over her and shaved her body hair, jurors were told. The priest forced her to eat the raw heart of a chicken then threatened that he would go into her dreams and kill her if she did not obey his commands, the court heard.

The 14-year-old was also forced to eat a raw chicken heart and white clay, the court report also said.

The girls were said to have then been flown to Britain in 2009 on false documents, where Harrison – described as a “key player” in the trafficking ring -- is alleged to have raped them before trying to pass them on to traffickers in Spain and Greece to work in the sex industry.

Harrison is also said to have starved and threatened to kill and the 16-year-old girl before raping her. He is also accused for beating the 14-year-old.

The girls were groomed then given scripts by the traffickers to tell immigration that they were fleeing Nigeria for being lesbians. However, Harrision denied in court that he was involved in the act. The trial continues.

By Christopher Kim
Intern Reporter
(chriskim1006@gmail.com)