Silent Witness (1996) s11e04 Episode Script

- Mum - Please, you found out the truth.
The body is that of a black male child Heart, liver, lungs have been removed.
Identity unknown.
Sangoma sometimes use animal organs in Muti, the potions This is a child in London Well, in South Africa there is many as a thousand cases of human sacrifice a year for muti.
We have crosses on the child's back which suggests Christianity more than a black magic.
What if this was an exorcism but one step too far? There is no abuse here.
No violent rituals.
Not in my church.
Why did you insist that I intend this case? But you see her, don't you? It troubles you.
Chantelle? You better be in bed and not on that phone of yours again.
Chantelle! I know you are not Chantelle? Chantelle! Chantelle? Chantelle! SILENT WITNESS SUFFER THE CHILD Part 2 Yeah, OK.
I'll call you back.
Leo.
Chantelle Okonjo.
14.
Mother's a nurse.
Came back from her shift and found her daughter missing.
What connects her to our two dead boys? Mother said her daughter was having nightmares, told her the same people that killed the two boys would kill her.
She didn't take much notice and then the daughter disappears.
I told her to leave all that evil business alone.
Why does she not listen? My baby, where's my baby? Church people.
What church? London Fields Methodist.
I asked.
Different age, different sex.
Methodists.
I'm not sure this is connected.
What about the fetish in the bedroom? I've seen these things in a sangoma's shop.
She's a teenager with a conservative mother.
It's just as likely there's a secret boyfriend in the background.
- And what if you're wrong? - I may be wrong.
Until we're certain, we treat this as related no matter what I think.
Look at them.
They say we are not doing enough, we try and ask questions and they accuse us of brutality and racism.
BOTTLE SHATTERS ANGRY SHOUTING Get in the car.
Leo, get in the car, leave this to us.
SHOUTING CONTINUES Let us do our job, please.
HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYS A young girl I know has one of these.
You might know her - Chantelle Okonjo? These are for woman's problems.
Very popular.
I do not ask my customers' names.
Pretty girl.
About 14.
She might have mentioned nightmares.
If she was in here, I do not know her.
Somebody smashed my windscreen a few nights ago and left a message, dead cat with a nail through its skull.
What was it you said? Curiosity killed the cat.
You think it was me? Was it? I listen to spirits.
I have remedies for sickness here, sometimes maybe here.
Or maybe you think because I am a Black man I am a vandal? And because I'm a white man, I'm a racist? I did not do this.
But whoever it was, you should take them more seriously.
Thanks.
CAMERA WHIRS Nikki Alexander, Pathologist.
- DI Brand.
- Nice place, I could do with a good tiler.
He doesn't come cheap.
Right, Vincent Fricks.
Television producer.
Lived alone.
No sign of forced entry, so he may have known his attacker.
- Officers were called when a neighbour heard shouting.
- Thanks.
OK.
Watch the head wound.
Someone has tried to garrotte him.
But he got his hands up.
Bag them please.
Dear, oh, dear.
TV producers, eh? Lungs were full of water.
Lots of froth in the airways.
He was still alive when his head was pushed under.
So drowning was the ultimate cause of death.
What's that? A hair, and a bit of tissue.
He may have bitten the assailant so we may have some DNA evidence after all.
The ligature mark cuts right through to the bone.
Put this in the middle of the plinth and Professor Dalton.
You can't seem to get enough of my congregation.
Perhaps you're thinking of joining it.
Too much the sceptic, I'm afraid.
New premises? We are lucky to have such a well-connected benefactor.
Dr Falase.
Ah, a fellow doctor.
Indeed.
A fellow doctor.
A client of hers from Mumbai was selling.
What was once a warehouse of beauty goods from India will now house a beautiful religion from Africa.
Unfortunately, even repainting doesn't get rid of the powders and curry stains.
Still, it will add some spice to my sermons, no? Do they need more? God never has enough spice, Professor.
A young girl has disappeared.
It might be connected to the deaths of the two boys.
So I have heard.
I pray she's safe.
The police are looking for patterns.
Patterns? The police target our churches, our shops, our culture, as if the only patterns they seek must have a black face.
Is it any surprise that young people are lashing out? Nobody is being targeted, I assure you.
No? They were around to see me once again.
A dead cat, I believe? It seems you've made some enemies, Professor.
Perhaps you should ask your sangoma friend about this.
I did.
And now you ask me.
I cannot think that anyone in my congregation would do such a thing.
They are decent people.
Like my friend Dr Falase, although perhaps not all quite so Connected? Generous.
Samson.
Vincent Frick's hand.
It's gauged.
Right.
I had a closer look at Chambers' ligature mark.
that also is gauged.
They are the same.
You were right, it was a musical instrument string.
Perhaps The Stranglers did it.
SHE LAUGHS And I'll bet Frick's was a Catholic old boy.
DI James, please.
Body of Christ.
- Body of Christ.
- Amen.
The body of Christ.
Amen.
- Body of Christ.
- Amen.
- Body of Christ.
- Amen.
Body of Christ.
Body of Christ.
By the same person, you say? It's likely.
This is so hard to understand.
Is there anything you can tell us about these two men? Austin Chambers was one of our trustees.
Fricks I only vaguely remember.
Both he and Austin were Old Boys, about 25, 30 years ago.
I couldn't even say if they know each another now.
Someone knew both of them.
Perhaps Father Reid.
I don't see where this is heading.
You don't remember seeing Mr Fricks here at the school either with Mr Chambers or with Father Reid? Of course not.
But you see that the school is the connection between them.
Miss Alexander, if I had any knowledge What about at your school Anniversary party? Father Reid wasn't on the guest list.
If he was here with Marie, I was unaware of it.
Was Mr Fricks? There were so many people - a concert, drinks, speeches.
One of our Year 12 may have made a video of the evening.
Perhaps that'll help, I'll fetch it.
Professor Dalton.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
- Is this a bad moment? - No, not at all.
I had some procedures to complete.
I leave for Harare tomorrow but I have a few moments.
I heard you lecture once on renal artery anastomosis.
I hope I didn't put you to sleep.
- Your practice is doing well.
- Mmm.
Much of my work's outside of the UK now.
I'm involved in setting up clinics in several countries in Africa, in India.
But you're not here about my work.
No, I'm interested in finding out more about the Church of Spiritual Resurrection.
Hmm.
What you're really interested in is the church pastor.
He's lucky to have your support.
And it seems strange to you that I should be involved in a Church such as his.
A little.
Funmi Lambo and I were children in Lagos.
When he came here to start his church, I offered to help.
Don't forget, some of the traditions he taps into are mine as well.
- Traditions such as deliverance? - Mmm Superstition.
But this perv can be in need of healing, too.
That seems strange coming from educated doctor.
What? Faith? When I was young I watched my grandfather die He was in great pain.
But he was a very religious man.
And his faith brought him real comfort.
That taught me that act of believing in something unknown, unknowable Can ease pain.
and teach humanity I assure you, Professor, in his own way Funmi Lambo is a man of God.
Now, you may not understand his faith or his Church but you won't find evil there.
Nice to meet you.
OK.
Hold on.
Here.
Chambers and Fricks.
That's Father Reid and Marie Williams.
She runs a half-way house for young people with drug problems.
Interesting.
And here again Oh, no.
Do you know him? Matt, the police want to ask you a few questions.
Go into my office.
It's more private.
- Sounds good, is it yours? - Yeah Thanks.
Possession, cannabis.
Possession, cocaine.
Two years for that, Matthew.
I don't do that any more.
No? And you don't sell to your friends, either Tell me about Austin Chambers.
Don't know him.
How about Vincent Fricks? No? That's funny, because you were seen talking to them both at the school celebrations a few weeks ago.
There was a lot of people there.
I didn't know all their names, did I.
So you were never at Chambers' house, at Fricks' flat? I just told you.
They're not people I know.
How about Father Reid? I don't suppose you knew him either? The jumper.
My mother's friend.
Not one of yours? Not really.
KNOCK ON DOOR Dr Alexander is waiting outside for you.
This is all because of her, innit? Is it? Now, this, Matthew, this is interesting.
This is a DNA profile taken from semen found in Chambers flat.
And this one is a profile that we took from you, Matthew.
Perfect match.
- I didn't - Sorry, what's that? I didn't want my mother to know What? That you're gay, or that you killed him? - I didn't kill Chambers.
- You supplied the drugs though.
- No.
It He.
He got them from his mate Fricks.
Chambers was alive when I left there.
And I only met Fricks at that party.
That's all.
I didn't kill them.
I didn't Matthew Williams, I am charging you with the murders of Austin Chambers and Vincent Fricks.
Matthew? Matthew.
- Marie - My son didn't kill those men.
I'm sorry, but we found Matthew's DNA at Austin Chambers' flat.
You know, Matthew may not have liked Father Reid but he didn't kill him.
Or anyone else.
I thought you were meant to be helping us! It's Calabar! What? That plant residue we've been trying to identify in the boy's stomach? - You said you were waiting to hear back from Kew.
- I still am.
But I, er, analysed on one of the beans on this staff.
It's a match.
Calabar? Yeah.
It's found in West Africa.
In powdered form, the beans can cause paralysis.
Nikki said the ingredients would identify who gave it to him.
These don't keep away evil spirits away - they ARE the evil spirit.
We should let Rush know.
- That's him.
- What? That was him.
She's from the church.
Police! Police! Stay where you are.
Get on the floor, on the floor, move! SHOUTING Upstairs.
You, check that out.
- You are a dead man.
- Let go of me! Please listen.
What are you doing? Let me go.
Seal off the house first.
Every bit of dirt gets analysed by forensics.
Let me go! This is not your responsibility.
off, please Pretty much strange downstairs.
- Upper? - No.
I better start in chance it.
You cannot just let them go! That bean that you found came from a shipment of West African junk imported by a company in Brixton.
There are half a dozen other shops that sell the same thing.
Why not ask them about it? We've pushed this as far as we can.
The teenager was her own daughter.
The other two children? Grace Esan really is their aunt.
These two have done nothing illegal.
We're at a dead end.
Two children are dead.
One more is missing.
I know! Every waking minute.
We'll watch them but that is all we can do.
That's great.
No, no, it's not great.
I've got the GLC, the African Association, African Churches of Great Britain, the Committee for Racial Equality, embassies, you name it, breathing down my neck because you insist on pushing down blind alleys.
So that's that what you think we've been doing? You've made it personal, Leo.
This case is not about your own loss.
I You've let it cloud your judgment.
PHONE RINGS Rush.
When? Yes, sir.
Community leaders have asked for a meeting this evening.
It would be helpful if you were both there.
Leo Time and time again it is always the same.
Yes, yes Exactly, just like he says.
It's racism.
SHOUTING That's what it is.
Yeah!!! The police target us.
Always.
Stop us on every street corner.
Every day.
They dragged my son off the street, searched him.
APPLAUSE AND SHOUTS OF APPROVAL He wasn't doing anything.
But he's black, so he must have been doing something.
SHOUTS OF APPROVAL Please, everyone will get their turn They came in to my church, asking questions, demanding to know this and that.
In a church! SHOUTS OF APPROVAL And now they say they are going to close it down unless we tell them what they want to know.
The Metropolitan police is not simply targeting your community, and we are Move it! We are not closing any churches.
One at a time, please! We know what you're looking at.
Black churches and Black faces.
Yeah!!!! SHOUTS OF APPROVAL Don't you look in the mirror? Call it what you like, it's racism.
No, no, no, no, no.
This is not what it's about It's It's not what it about! My name is Leo.
I'm not a police officer, all right.
I'm a home office pathologist.
- My job My - More lies everyone, more lies.
More lies.
I'm telling the truth.
If these had been white children, they wouldn't have been targeting white churches.
That' true!! That's not true, that is not true.
A girl is missing and two children are dead, not because of their colour, but because they were children.
And truth is that It could be any of ours.
It could have been your child.
It could have been your child.
My child! They were killed because that's what they were - innocent children! And somebody out there knows their names, and knows where they came from, what made them laugh, what made them cry, what made them feel afraid.
Those two boys came here and they probably thought that they were safe.
And they weren't and that is something that will haunt each one of us until we find out who did this and how it was allowed to happen.
So please, please, do not fight us, help us.
OK, help us.
Hi.
They buzzed me in.
Peace offering.
I'll get some glasses.
Cheers.
Look, I wanted to apologize for earlier today.
I was out of line.
My judgment on this case has not been cloudedby anything.
- Leo - They should have been protected.
They had names, lives.
They should have been safe.
Leo I understand what this is about.
Do you? Do you really? I'm just trying to say, that .
.
when Theresa and Cassie were killed .
.
I knew you wouldn't want me at the funeral.
I wanted to say, sorry, something.
What's passed is passed.
- Is it? - Yes.
You were here in London, immersed in your work - Theresa was confused.
- I really, I don't need to hear any of this.
We made a mistake.
And don't tell me it that didn't matter.
It mattered .
.
but we overcame it.
I was going to say it was wrong.
We were friends.
And yes, it mattered.
This case is about two dead boys.
And maybe a dead girl, maybe not.
That's all.
I should go.
All our victims are old boys from Copingwood.
So I went through the tox reports again.
This is Matthew's DNA from Chambers' sheets, which clearly links Matthew to Chambers, the night he died.
But this is the DNA from the tissue sample we found in Fricks' mouth.
Now Clearly they aren't the same.
So So assuming the person that Fricks bit was his killer then The killer isn't Matthew.
Exactly.
- And there's something else.
- There's more? We knew that Father Reid's GP was prescribing him diazepam for anxiety.
Nothing unexpected.
We also knew that Chambers' tox report found levels of the drug in his blood, well, we found these in Fricks' flat.
So Diazepam is the link? Not only Diazepam.
One very busy doctor.
Hilary Dawson.
Leo wants us in the team room.
Sorry.
Won't be a sec.
Right, let's get down to it.
There's something missing, something we could have picked up, but we haven't so Chantelle Okonjo.
Still missing, we can't be certain that she's tied up in this.
Child A, body found tangled in bush in the River Lea.
Child B, skeleton found a mile north in the Tottenham Marshes.
They were six and eight years old respectively.
Child A, internal organs removed, heart liver and lungs, as well as lips, eyes and genitals - he also had his hands and feet cut off.
Child B, likewise, had hands and feet severed.
Now what else? The mineral content of Child A's bones suggested that he was born in the southern Congo.
Child B's bones pointed to an area of eastern Rwanda.
Right.
So we have Congo and Rwanda.
They're both largely war zones.
Which is why it's been impossible to trace families from those countries, so or count on the authorities for help.
What else? Their disfigurement and stomach contents of child A suggest a ritual killing.
But that could be anywhere.
The Kindoki Church enclave is often associated with the Congo, where we know he grew up.
But the Calabar bean is common in Nigeria.
If these boys came from families in war zones, they may have left those areas as refugees.
Which might explain the maize.
There were traces of maize in Child A's intestine.
But it was yellow maize, not white.
Yellow maize mostly originates in North America.
So if it were food aid And he was in a refugee camp Many refugees from the Congo and Rwanda ended up in Zimbabwe.
Mugabe's been trying to get rid of them.
We also know that child A was HIV positive.
Which slightly could mean match of the continent.
But He'd had two blood tests, one of which was likely to have been done at his home, which would mean somewhere where he would find a clinic or health care available so Zimbabwe might figure again if he had been in a refugee camp there.
Good.
There's also the henna.
That can be found throughout Africa.
Or India, for that matter.
So he grows up in Africa, eats corn on the cob in the States and visits a body artist in Delhi before landing here.
What? I'll take the flag.
But if we're wrong? From now on we leave Lambo and his church alone, right? What are you doing? What is the meaning of this? Why are you doing this to our church? I have a warrant to search the premises.
This is harassment! You know I have nothing to hide.
Professor Dalton, why do you do this? I don't want any other children to be killed.
I want the people who killed these children to get caught as well, Professor.
I have told you no lies Never.
Sir? What's through there? Stairs to the cellars.
Benga, you have the key? Do you have the key?! Pastor.
Samson, bring the key! No one had known.
ON BOX: Communion wafers Simon! What's in here? - Dave! - Sir.
Skit and shift it.
What is that, sir? Watch your step, Leo.
What is this? No, Samson! - Ahhhh - Leo! Get him out of here! Does Dawson know we're coming? Ah, no, no, it's a surprise.
Shit.
Dr Alexander.
OK, Doctor Dawson that's fine for now.
OK.
Came home from his surgery, went out to feed the fish, someone wraps a wire round his throat, pushes him under the water of his fish pond.
There was the neighbours here who calls - And he doesn't have any idea who did this? - Apparently not.
We'll get a statement from you once you've seen a doctor.
Sorry! Sorry, you were at Copingwood too? - Yes.
- You knew Austin Chambers, Vincent Fricks and Father Reid? They're all dead and you were supposed to be next.
What's the connection? We know you've been giving prescriptive drugs to your friends.
At the very least you'll be struck off.
Please Who is the younger boy, the fourth boy? CHORISTERS SING Mr Collins? You can't know what it was like.
First Chambers.
Laughing, enjoying it.
The pain.
And he laughed, he Then Dawson.
They said if he didn't he was a coward.
And then Fricks.
He was the nasty one.
I was only ten and, and they And then I saw them all again, at the anniversary celebrations.
Laughing still.
All of them.
And Chambers, putting his hand on Billy.
Such a beautiful voice, little Billy I knew what Chambers would do.
What they all would do to that boy.
What about Father Reid? Father Reid? Did he rape you too? He watched.
He did nothing but he watched.
And then, years later, he is there, listening to the choir, my choir.
"I want to confess", he says.
I do not hear confession.
There is no contrition for what you did, for what you allowed to happen.
Absolution? There's no redemption, Father.
Only pain.
You knew.
All along you knew.
That Seth Collins would do this? I hardly think so.
You knew about Father Reid.
Father Reid was a man with problems that he struggled to overcome but never succeeded.
Collins told DI James that Father Reid had wanted to confess.
But it wasn't absolution he wanted, was it? He WAS going to go to the authorities.
He'd written down everything he'd done over the last 30 years.
The boys When I took his computer he made a grab for it he fell and hit his back.
All that time you knew and you said nothing? Have you ever heard of Crimen Sollicitationis, Miss Alexander? No? It was written in 1962.
What the Vatican call the worst crimes - paedophilia, bestiality were to be dealt with in secrecy, under penalty of excommunication.
In 2001 it was new directive All reports of any such crimes would to be sent only to the Vatican nowhere else.
No civil authorities, no social workers, no police - only the Vatican.
Don't you see? Father Reid had no choice, except, perhaps, to end his own life.
Of course he had a choice.
You had a choice too, Father.
Matthew? Nothing.
Thank you very much.
I bet that you are Chelsea fan.
No? H-mm? Aston? As my boy? sheffield wednesday Yeah? I know.
Surgery won't hurt at all.
Because you want to be back scoring go to end some blues.
Or in? Leo.
Your office said you were here.
They need to drain the wound and check the stitches.
- But everything's OK? - As far as I know, yeah.
They said they won't want me coming back more than necessary.
I'm a terrible patient.
No doubt.
The Moyos have barely said a word.
We found a box of cash, we think it's the money they made.
A grand Chantelle Okonjo has been found.
She was in Brighton.
Ran off with her boyfriend.
You were right then.
At least on one point.
No.
Not just the one.
What about Lambo? We think he genuinely didn't know.
The Moyos didn't bring those boys into this country on their own.
They have relatives in Zimbabwe - Lambo is helping us to trace them.
We don't know who's behind them and we have no idea of the boys' names are yet? We'll still keep looking, they may have been trafficked.
Who knows? We can't just leave it there.
Sometimes there aren't answers, Leo.
Chin up.
You did the best you could, Dad.
It wasn't enough, though, was it? Will that boy be all right? Kidney transplant, pretty routine nowadays.
Yeah, it should be fine.
Passport please.
Thank you.
Next please.
Passport please.
My youngest son.
He's a good boy.
Thank you.
MOBILE PHONE RINGS Benga Moyo won't be answering his phone, Doctor.
Or his father.
You think I knew what they would do? The Moyos were supposed to take care of these children and send them back to their relatives in Zimbabwe to be looked after.
But you did smuggle them in.
For their kidneys.
Do you have any idea how many British children are waiting for new kidneys? Their parents will do anything so that their child might live.
The first child we found, his kidneys were intact.
He was infected with HIV.
Those fools in the clinic in Harare.
Perhaps they made a mistake or were paid off.
They think I don't check and recheck my donors here in London? So, you bring the children into the country, remove their kidney, the Moyos take them back.
I pay for everything.
Everyone wins.
Everyone wins.
Yes.
Everyone wins.
'And when I get my clinics built, it will be even easier.
' Rich people from here can fly to Zimbabwe, South Africa, Delhi There's a ready supply of kidneys, no waiting lists.
Their children will grow up strong and healthy.
Their names, doctor.
'Two boys.
Who were they?' 'Names? 'They never had names.
I didn't ask.
I didn't want to know.
' I called them Umfana.
Boy.
They're scum.
they're not people.
They're no-one.
CHORISTERS SING It's OK, Dad.
Is it? You're still sad.
That doesn't stop.
I wanted to find their names.
I wanted to give them peace.
To find out all the answers.
You can let go, Dad.
I've seen you here before.
Family? Yes.
A tragedy.
You must miss them.
Yes, I do.
Here Put this on the headstone.
What does it mean? This is: "I was here.
"I remember.
" It says they are always in your heart I, er wish you a long life.