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381 Appendix Minutes Of The Case Rex Versus Father Van Dal In The Provincial Court Of The Cameroons Province Holden at KUMBA before Major D. S. Cook, Divisional Officer, on the 23rd April 1931 CASE 40/31, REX Versus Father Van Dal (M.26). CHARGE: Assault on Lucy Ntu (F) contra: C. C. 351. PLEA: Guilty. 1st witness. LUCY NTU sworn states: I am a native of Ikom, Ogoja Province, I came to Mbonge about a year ago. I was baptized at Ikom my parents consenting when I was a little girl. About 8 weeks ago I heard that the accused was coming to my town and one evening about 7 o’clock as I was walking in the town I was arrested by about 7 Yaunde men and they took me to the accused who led me to the Catechist’s house and slapped my face. He called for a razor and a Yaunde shaved my hair. That might I was shut up in the Catechist’s house Yaunde people guarding me. Next morning we set off for Ekumbe Lionge. Should anyone wish accompany us to the bush to see that we didst escape. We spent a night at Ekumbe Liongo but in the morning I went to the accused and asked him to release me from going to the Mission Headquarters at Baseng as I did not understand the language being a stranger to Kumba Division. The accused refused so I said I refused to accompany him any further. He then called some Yaunde men to lay me down and he beat me with a stick. I counted some strokes but I was in such pain that I cannot remember. Someone told me afterwards that I had received 52 strokes. I was crying bitterly and when he had finished he kicked me and ran out into the compound after me kicking me. I showed my backside to the women with whom I had come from Mbonge one I knew as Efembe and it was covered with blood. The accused told me to follow to Bai Kuke and there I fell sick by blood coming from my private parts which was not my normal periods. The accused asked me with whom I had come from Nigeria and I said I had come alone to Mbonge where my sister was married. I admitted allowing other men to sleep with me and for the last 4 months I had lived with an Ibo man from Aro- Chuku called Davies as his friend. I 382 told accused I was a Christian and used to go to church and pay my ID to the collection. I went to the accused at Bai and he saw how sick I was sorry and gave me 6d and told me when I got better to go back to Ikom, my proper country. He said if he met me at Mbonge again he would punish me more. I still feel pain in my belly and the D. O. has seen marks on my buttocks. The Yaunde people who arrested me and the ones who held me down while I was being beaten were the same. I do not know them at all. They are not Mbonge Yaundes. I do not know the people who arrested me. It was a man who said I had received 52 strokes. 2nd witness Efembe sworn states: I was taken from Mbonge by the accused to go to Baseng. It was with the 1st witness Lucy. We reached Ekumbe Liongo after being locked up in a house at Mbonge. I asked the catechists Motembe why I was being taken away without my husband’s consent and the Catechist said I would see. When I went to the latrine that night, I was escorted by a Yaunde man accompanying the accused. The Catechist also told me that I was in trouble because I had married a pagan whilst I was a Christian. I remember seeing Agnes Namadu locked up with us. I remember seeing Lucy leave the house at Ekumbe Liongo saying she was going to see the accused. When she returned she was crying and she showed us her backside which had cuts and was covered with blood. She said she had been beaten by the Fathers. All the time we were guarded like prisoners but I did not know who the Yaunde people were. I asked the accused if I could go to Mbongo Mission instead of Baseng and the accused...

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