Father says teen son was tied down because he was ‘possessed by a demon’

CEDAR RAPIDS — The father of three brothers, who are accused of tying down their younger brother to a mattress until he died about 40 hours later in November 2024, testified Wednesday he agreed with restraining the teen because he was “possessed by a demon.”

Joseph Baseme Mbalama, who had been a Pentecostal pastor in his home country, the Republic of the Congo, testified Wednesday that his son, Ezekiel Baseme, 18, wasn’t doing well — was “sick” — a few days before Election Day.

He said he stayed with Ezekiel, who lived with his three other sons in a mobile home in Cedar Rapids. The teen complained he felt like he was on fire and was seeing snakes, Mbalama said.

Ezekiel’s condition remained the same until it got worse Nov. 3 when the family made the decision to tie him down to a mattress, which is common practice when someone is possessed, Mbalama, who testified through a Swahili court interpreter, said.

Ezekiel had been fighting with his three brothers, and they consulted with him and their mother about tying up Ezekiel.

They decided to restrain him with “cords” — ropes, so he wouldn’t run away and hurt himself, a family member or someone outside the home, the father said.

Christian, 30, Pierre, 27, and Azane, 24, Baseme are charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault causing serious injury and false imprisonment, accused of unintentionally causing their brother’s death. Their trial started last week in Linn County District Court.

The defense will continue its case Thursday, and closings will likely start in the afternoon. The jury trial started last week in Linn County District Court

Possessed by demons

Mbalama testified Ezekiel said spiritual things — things like those possessed by demons — Nov. 2 through Nov. 4 or Nov. 5 before he died. He was seeing snakes, fire, cats, waters and cities that weren’t there. When Mbalama would put his hands on Ezekiel and pray for him, Ezekiel would calm down, he said.

When his sons called him Nov. 3 and asked if they should tie him up, he, after consulting his wife, said they should. He insisted it was the family’s decision.

Mbalama, who did not live with his four sons, testified he checked on Ezekiel on Nov. 3. Ezekiel was tied down but continued to fight and want out of the cords. They couldn’t remove them because Ezekiel “was going to do something bad,” he said.

Mbalama was going back and forth between his son’s home and his mother-in-law’s home because she also was sick and he had to help care for her.

When he saw Ezekiel about 5 p.m. Nov. 4, Ezekiel was saying “different words” but had less strength and couldn’t run away, Mbalama said. Some of the ropes had been removed. They prayed for him, and he was talking when Mbalama left about 11 p.m.

The father said Ezekiel had some juice and water when he was there, but he didn’t see him eat. He didn’t know if his other sons gave Ezekiel anything to eat.

Christian contacted him later, after 1 a.m. Nov. 5, saying Ezekiel wasn’t breathing. Mbalama said he was “confused” because the last time he had seen Ezekiel, he was “well.” He told his wife that their sons were saying Ezekiel was dead.

At first, Mbalama testified, he was scared to go back and see him. When he went to the brothers’ home about 3 a.m., Ezekiel was dead, but he believed some “part of him was functioning and he was warm.” They prayed, and he and his wife believed Ezekiel might “come back.”

On Nov. 6, he realized Ezekiel wasn’t coming back but prayed one more day before calling police.

Prayer worked before

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Mark Meyer, the lawyer for Pierre Baseme, asked if Mbalama and his family believed praying would send the demon away, and Mbalama said yes. It had worked before. They also believed prayer could bring him back to life.

On cross-examination, Assistant Linn County Attorney Jennifer Erger asked if he could force his sons to obey him, and Mbalama said not by force. They were free to disagree and he wouldn’t punish them if they disobeyed, Mbalama said.

Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com