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Manhunt launched
against Madang
cult head
By FRANK RAI
A POLICE manhunt has been launched in Madang province against cult
leader Steven Tari, aka “Black Jesus”, who has gone into hiding.
Madang police commander Chief Insp Anthony Wagambie Jr yesterday said
Tari went underground after he was released on bail.
He said the cult leader was arrested by police with his flower girls
late last year.
Mr Wagambi told The National that Tari, of Manus and Markham parentage,
was arrested last year and released on bail but never came back to
court.
He said policemen on the manhunt have reported that he is being
protected by his followers in the Trans Gogol Mountains and along the
Gogol River.
“He is being moved from village to village,” Mr Wagambie said.
“As far as we (police) know, he (Tari) is on the run while on bail and
we have community policing and crime investigators on the ground
monitoring his movement.”
He said the cult movement has spies with strong communication network
which has been helping Tari to escape from police and move into the
mountainous area.
Mr Wagambi said the Madang provincial administration has assisted the
police with an undisclosed amount of money for the manhunt.
He kept under wraps police plans because spies were everywhere and they
would leak the information to the leader.
Mr Wagambi said Christians and leaders from the Catholic and Lutheran
churches are helping to track Tari.
“I appeal to leaders and villagers not to hide Steven Tari because he
has a court case to face ... therefore, we expect co-operation from
villagers and community leaders,” Mr Wagambi said.
Meanwhile, the cult leader was allegedly hacked in the back with a bush
knife in a certain village, also in the Tran Gogol area, where he was
practicing his cult worship with some female worshippers.
Mr Wagambi said the police had received news that Tari was treating his
wounds with bush medicine.
 
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