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Abuse inquiry focus on African churches in north London

A police team set up after an eight-year-old girl abused by her family because they believed she was possessed by evil spirits, has uncovered 19 similar cases.

The Metropolitan Police refused to say where any of the new instances of abuse have taken place, but confirmed that officers working for Project Violet were targeting Haringey and its evangelical churches.

A report by Scotland Yard published this week revealed that, in the past six months, the operation had been involved in 12 cases, saving 19 children from abuse linked to religious beliefs, often connected to the practices of African churches.

Like Victoria Climbie, who was also eight and was brought to London from Africa, the Crouch End girl was mistreated, beaten and starved by her aunt and other family members who said she was a "kendoki", or witch, in Angolan dialect.

Sita Kisanga, 36, Sebastian Pinto, 33, and the child's aunt, who cannot be identified, were jailed earlier this year for cutting her chest with a knife, beating her with a shoe and a belt, and rubbing chilli peppers into her eyes.

The case raised concerns about the influence of fundamentalist Christian sects, such as the Combat Spirituelle church in Dalston, which was attended by Kisanga.

A flurry of meetings were organised by the project, including one in October when 35 Congolese pastors met with team chief Detective Inspector Bob Pull at a venue in Tottenham.

A spokeswoman for the project added: "It is communities who have an impact on child abuse. We have been involved in education for people who are involved in child welfare issues, and police officers working on community engagement.

"We are hearing what the local concerns are and having a discussion with them around what they should do and what they can do if they suspect child abuse. Child abuse in general is underreported."

7:42am Friday 16th December 2005

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