Some of the local young men who worked as spies for the Japanese reported these happenings. The Japanese authorities arrested To Rot. They searched the caves where he held prayer services, and searched his home as well as the houses of his two brothers, Tatamai and Telo. They confiscated To Rot’s books: a Bible, catechism, song book, some notebooks and two crucifixes. From Tatamai’s house they took a raincoat. And in Telo’s suitcases they found an Australian bank book. All three brothers were arrested.
The Japanese police chief first interrogated the older brother, Tatamai, about church services. When Tatamai answered that he had indeed attended church services, the police chief struck him on the head with a wooden cane and sentenced him to one month in prison.
Then To Rot was interrogated about celebrating church services, his attitude concerning marriage, and his defiance of the Japanese law allowing more than one wife. To Rot was also struck on the head and repeatedly poked with the cane in his upper chest, around the heart. He was sentenced to two months in prison.
Telo, the youngest, was accused of being an Australian spy because of the bank book. He was hung on a papaya tree and beaten till he lost consciousness. In the days following, Tatamai and To Rot were sent into forced labor; Telo had been too severely beaten to work.
Telo was released after two weeks because of his health after the beating; Tatamai was released after a month; but To Rot was kept at the prison. When To Rot’s village chief asked the police why he was not released, he was told that To Rot was a bad type who prevented men from having two wives and who called people to prayer.
To Rot had many visits from relatives and friends, especially his mother and his wife. They came every day and brought him food. He would encourage them and assure them that he was not afraid because he was in prison for God. To the village chief who came to see him, Peter said, “I am in prison because of the adulterers and because of the church services. Well, I am ready to die. But you must take care of the people.” To another friend, Peter added, “If it is God’s will, I’ll be murdered for the faith. I am a child of the church and therefore for the church I will die.”
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