12 reports of sorcery-related cases in Enga this year: Lutz

THERE have been at least 12 attacks on women in Enga this year in sorcery-related cases, according to American Lutheran church missionary Anton Lutz, pictured.
He said the latest attack last Saturday at Pompabus, Wapenamenda, left one woman dead and another with serious injuries after they were burned with hot irons and cut with razors.
“This year, we have had this double case at Pompabus,” Lutz told The National.
“We’ve had five women attacked on the same day at Sirunki in April or May.
“The previous week, three women were murdered in Sirunki.
“Less than a month ago, we had two women attacked in Pausa.
“That’s 12 so far in Enga that I know about.”
He said the number could be higher.
“That’s just in Enga and not counting the border areas of Hewa and Paiela,” he said.
In last Saturday’s incident, the two women were blamed for causing the death of a three-year-old.
Enga provincial police commander Chief Superintendent George Kakas confirmed the incident and said a post-mortem showed that the child had died after choking on a piece of kaukau.