As sill and stupit as it may sound - beliefs in Sorcery is very real and people display animalistic behaviour when their beliefs take control. The two stories in this post appeared in the National news papers recently. Form your own opinions after reading them.
Story 1
Cleaner hacked to death
Source:
The National, Thursday 01st December 2011
By ZACHERY PER
A CLEANER at the Kerowagi Mobile Squad Eight police barracks in Chimbu’s Kerowagi district was hacked to death in a sorcery-related killing on Monday.
Chimbu police commander acting Supt John Kale said yesterday that an elderly man from Kondan village was accused of using sorcery to cause the death of a young man from his village on Saturday.
The young man was fishing along Koronigle River when he fell into the water and drowned.
Some villagers found his body on Monday and brought it back to the village where they accused the elderly man of causing the man’s death through sorcery.
Some villagers attacked the man and then turned on his son, a Grade 10 student at Kerowagi Secondary School but police arrived in time to save him.
The boy sustained some light injuries and was sent to the hospital for treatment.
Kale said the suspects were known to the police and advised them to give themselves up.
He also appealed to the people to stop believing in sorcery.
Story 2
Duo sentenced to 15 years for murder
Source:
The National, Thursday 01st December 2011
TWO men have been jailed for 15 years each for killing an elderly woman whom they believed to have caused the death of former Simbu provincial administrator Joe Bal.
Joe Bal Junior, 48, and Balito Sine, 29, of Giu village in Sinasina, Chimbu, were also ordered to do hard labour.
They were convicted of murdering Rose Waras Kuipa of Giu village after accusing her of practising sorcery over the death of the former administrator.
Kuipa was dragged out of her home on Sept 15, 2008 and taken to an unknown spot where she was killed.
A third accused, James Minga, is still under remand and is expected to be tried soon.
In passing sentence at the Kundiawa National Court on Nov 11, Acting Justice Lawrence Kangwia said the courts must impose severe sentences to deter sorcery-related killings which he noted was rampant in the highlands.
He said sorcery had no place in modern society.
Story 1
Cleaner hacked to death
Source:
The National, Thursday 01st December 2011
By ZACHERY PER
A CLEANER at the Kerowagi Mobile Squad Eight police barracks in Chimbu’s Kerowagi district was hacked to death in a sorcery-related killing on Monday.
Chimbu police commander acting Supt John Kale said yesterday that an elderly man from Kondan village was accused of using sorcery to cause the death of a young man from his village on Saturday.
The young man was fishing along Koronigle River when he fell into the water and drowned.
Some villagers found his body on Monday and brought it back to the village where they accused the elderly man of causing the man’s death through sorcery.
Some villagers attacked the man and then turned on his son, a Grade 10 student at Kerowagi Secondary School but police arrived in time to save him.
The boy sustained some light injuries and was sent to the hospital for treatment.
Kale said the suspects were known to the police and advised them to give themselves up.
He also appealed to the people to stop believing in sorcery.
Story 2
Duo sentenced to 15 years for murder
Source:
The National, Thursday 01st December 2011
TWO men have been jailed for 15 years each for killing an elderly woman whom they believed to have caused the death of former Simbu provincial administrator Joe Bal.
Joe Bal Junior, 48, and Balito Sine, 29, of Giu village in Sinasina, Chimbu, were also ordered to do hard labour.
They were convicted of murdering Rose Waras Kuipa of Giu village after accusing her of practising sorcery over the death of the former administrator.
Kuipa was dragged out of her home on Sept 15, 2008 and taken to an unknown spot where she was killed.
A third accused, James Minga, is still under remand and is expected to be tried soon.
In passing sentence at the Kundiawa National Court on Nov 11, Acting Justice Lawrence Kangwia said the courts must impose severe sentences to deter sorcery-related killings which he noted was rampant in the highlands.
He said sorcery had no place in modern society.
