A man and his wife are under custody at the Nkomo gendarmerie brigade in Yaounde for allegedly torturing their daughter whom they accused of being demon-possessed.

Ekani Martial Ntsaba and wife were arrested after neighbours alerted gendarmes of what they described as regular torture of the ten-year old girl who remained locked up in the house.

Neighbours recounted that the girl, first of a family of five children has been locked up in a room for about six months and regularly tortured by her parents, Mr and Mrs Ekani.

The young girl who was rescued from her parents’ residence in Awae last week was taken to the Nkomo Health Centre where she has been undergoing treatment.

“She suffered extensive body harm, deep wounds, fresh and old scars. First aid was administered to her on arrival as well as a blood transfusion,” Dr Claude Audrey who has been following up the young girl at the health centre said.

On their part, the Ministry of Social Affairs through the Regional Delegation and other competent technical services are providing psychosocial support to the young lady in the hospital.

The Prime Minister, Head of Government Dr Joseph Dion Ngute condemned the violence meted on the young girl as he praised the prompt reaction of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

“Violence in unacceptable, especially violence against children and women. The Minister of Social Affairs has taken prompt action to intervene in this case. Thank you for your active collaboration in reporting such acts which are simply intolerable” the Prime Minister tweeted.

As the parents of the young girl remain in custody for investigation to take its full course, her siblings, aged 9, 5, 3 and 1 will be taken care of by the Ministry of Social Affairs through its competent units. After the younger lady fully recovers from her hospital bed, she will later join them, the Ministry of Social Affairs said.