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Traditional healer denies sex charges

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A traditional Six Nations healer says he never touched a girl or a woman as part of the cultural ceremonies he conducted.

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Ronald Dennis Henry, 55, was called as the only defence witness in his trial that began last week in Superior Court. He was arrested in July 2016 and is charged with sexual assault, invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference involving two complainants. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

One witness has testified that Henry began helping her rub protective medicine on herself when she was 13. His touching increased during visits in 2015 and 2016, she said.

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The teen said Henry insisted she would get cancer if she didn’t completely cover herself and get the medicine inside her.

She testified that he later said his own energy was needed to rid her of “charms” and stop her nightmares. So, he rubbed medicine on his penis and told her she had to ingest it, she said.

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The sessions were held in a small shack with a table, bench, wood-stove and several chairs that had masks on the walls and pots of herbs and medicines, court was told.

The second witness said she was in her 40s when she went to see Henry after she learned he had a frightening message from a spirit for her.

That woman said she was told to wash herself from head to toe as Henry watched to see if she missed any place. She eventually stopped going to the man when he insisted she needed to use his energy by performing oral sex on him and having intercourse to avoid getting cancer.

Henry explained some of his practices to the nine-woman, three-man jury, saying he is known for doing readings, helping rid people of negative energy and assisting in interpreting dreams.

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He said the teen girl stopped coming to him for treatment because her father owed him thousands of dollars for past visits.

“He had paid me maybe around $9,000 and owed another $21,000,” said Henry.

“He started going to church and that’s when his attitude changed. He was mean and angry.”

Henry said the older complainant was also “all about money” but stopped attending sessions with him after a conversation they had about her husband.

“She told me (her husband) wanted to come and talk to me and asked if I would tell him the things she had said during her release work. I told her I wouldn’t lie to him.”

During his cross-examination, Henry repeatedly denied touching the two complainants.

During an opening statement on Monday, Henry’s defence lawyer, Tyler Smith, said his Mohawk client had grown up with a Christian mother and a Longhouse father, eventually choosing to follow the Longhouse.

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Henry delved into traditional healing and became known to many on Six Nations.

Smith said his client never touched those who came to him for help but gave them protective medicine for the outside and inside of their homes, and a type of medicine for their bodies.

“But that was only ever applied by the client in the bath.”

Smith said his client is at a loss to explain what sparked the allegations against him.

“One thing will be very clear,” said Smith. “He will tell you in no uncertain terms that he never inserted his fingers in the vagina of the two complainants, he never had them engage in oral sex and he never insisted on sexual intercourse with either of them.”

The trial will continue with closing statements on Wednesday.

SGamble@postmedia.com
@EXPSGamble

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