Police rescue four women, child

By Rebecca Kuku
POLICE have rescued four women and a child from a village where they were kept by family members who accused them of practising sorcery.
Police commander Chief Insp Epenes Nili told The National yesterday that police brought the four back from Wanipos village in Enga’s Laiagam district yesterday morning.
They are now staying at the Wabag police station.
Insp Nili said family members had locked the four women and the 10-year-old son of one of them in a house in the village last Friday.
They suspected them of practising sorcery to kill members of their tribe.
“About six people in the area had died recently and the four women were accused of practising sorcery to eat their hearts and kill them,” he said.
“The incident was reported to police on Monday.
“Police went in but were outnumbered.
“So I had to call for reinforcement from the Mobile Squad 12 based in Porgera. And with the help of police from Surunki and Laiagam, we went in at 4am this morning (yesterday) and managed to get three women out.
“The other woman and her son were released on Wednesday.”
Insp Nili said they were brought to Wabag for their safety.
“The four women and the little boy will sleep tonight (last night) in the Wabag police station for their own safety while we find a way to get them to safety,” Insp Nili said.
“They are okay apart from a couple of bruises.
“They were not raped or tortured as many had feared.
“They may be just too traumatised right now to tell us what happened.”