'Black Jesus' accused of rape and murder
Pastor Dale Morgan
'Black Jesus' accused of rape and murder*
By Nick Squires in Sydney
Last Updated: 1:52pm GMT 19/03/2007
Police in Papua New Guinea are preparing to bring at least 30 charges of
rape and murder against a religious cult leader who calls himself Black
Jesus.
Steven Tari, who was captured last week after hiding out in the jungle
for nearly two years, allegedly raped, killed and ate three young sex
slaves he recruited in remote jungle villages on the country’s north coast.
Known for wearing prophet-like flowing robes, he is suspected of raping
dozens of other young girls.
Tari, 35, a failed Bible student who claimed he was the "true Christ",
had around 6,000 followers and promised his disciples material wealth
and religious salvation if they joined his bizarre cargo cult.
Among his devotees were dozens of sex slaves, some as young as nine,
whom he referred to as his "flower girls".
After arresting him in his mountain hide-out last week police carried
him out of the jungle on a bamboo stretcher, with his hands and feet bound.
He was almost lynched when brought to a police station in the provincial
capital, Madang.
"The police are having a hard time keeping the crowd away from him
because of the reports of what he did to young girls," said Peter Kili,
from the Post Courier newspaper.