D’Souza trial: Osteopath visited Amazon jungle with alleged shaman fraudster, court hears
Juliette D'Souza outside Blackfriars Crown Court. Picture: Polly Hancock - Credit: Polly Hancock
A trip to the Amazon jungle convinced an osteopath that alleged con artist Juliette D’Souza was a shaman with special powers, the jury heard this week.
Keith Bender went to Suriname with D’Souza in 1996 where he saw shamans at work and underwent a special “cleansing” ritual, he told Blackfriars Crown Court.
The journey cemented his faith in the defendant’s work and the osteopath would go on to introduce her to many of her alleged victims, the court heard.
During his stay in South America, Mr Bender “felt privileged” to meet a shaman called Pa who was living in a shack in the rainforest.
He underwent a cleansing process by bathing in a pool after being told he had cancer by D’Souza.
You may also want to watch:
He later saw another shaman supposedly freeing a woman from “possession” in a ritual.
Mr Bender also said D’Souza claimed that she was born on a plane, mid-flight, with a caul, a skin membrane, over her face, which meant she was a shaman.
Most Read
- 1 Highgate mental illness charity sees 'desperation' rise during Covid year
- 2 Two men charged after police find 'gun, cash and drugs' in Brent Cross flat
- 3 Labour's Sadiq Khan wins London mayoral election
- 4 London elections 2021 live: Latest results as they come in
- 5 North London nurses: 1% NHS pay offer is a 'kick in the teeth'
- 6 Owner mourns Highgate station’s beloved black cat
- 7 Police officer suffers leg injury after BMW stopped during 'routine patrol'
- 8 Arteta asks Arsenal to use 'pain' to punish West Brom
- 9 Toilets, the Ponds, Streatery, Nazanin and Palestine
- 10 'Unacceptable' HGV use by developers in Church Row writes off 3 cars
“She told me it was like being born with a silver spoon in her mouth,” he added. “It gave her great advantages, it blessed her with foresight. She could see personal and health problems ahead for people.”
The trial continues.
