Wellington, June 11 NZPA - The jury in the trial eight people accused of manslaughter over the drowning of a mother-of-two during a ceremony to lift a curse has retired to consider its verdicts.

Wainuiomata mother Janet Moses, 22, died on October 12, 2007, after attempts to lift a makutu, or curse, on her.

The eight people accused of killing her were all members of her whanau.

They are: John Tahana Rawiri, 49; Tanginoa Apanui, 42; Hall Jones Wharepapa, 46; Angela Orupe, 36; Gaylene Tangiohororere Kepa, 44; Aroha Gwendoline Wharepapa, 48; Alfred Hughes Kepa, 48; and Glenys Lynette Wright, 52.

A ninth defendant, Georgina Rawiri, was discharged on Wednesday after Justice Simon France said there was not enough evidence to charge her.

During the five-week-long trial, the court was told the family believed Ms Moses had been possessed by demons after two family members stole a concrete lion statue from the Greytown Hotel in the Wairarapa.

The family performed an exorcism on Ms Moses on October 12, forcing water into her mouth and eyes to flush out demons and lift the makutu.

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