Anti-sorcerers create fear among Astrolobe Bay people

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday 27th March, 2013

By PISAI GUMAR
LOCALS in Astrolabe Bay, Raicoast, Madang, are living in fear of a group that is allegedly attacking people they suspect of practising sorcery.
Soiya Tagu, the son of a Rereu village chief, was the latest victim of the killings.
Elders, ward councillors and village magistrates from Rereu, Lalok, Male and Yawar, speaking on condition of anonymity, for security reasons said Tagu was brutally murdered.
Madang police rural commander Insp Jacob Bando said he had been away and had to be briefed on any sorcery-related killing reports.
“I was on suspension when the killing in Nahu-Rawa and Astrolabe Bay were reported and I am yet to be advised,” Bando said.
The killing occurred a few weeks after the murder of six alleged sorcerers in Nahu-Rawa in Raicoast.
Tagu was knifed and the skin on his face peeled off before his body was dumped beside his home last week.
Lalok councillor Ambel Gamed said the glasman (sorcerer) should be held accountable because he was behind all the killings.
“Glasman needs to be arrested and jailed for acting on allegations without evidence,” he said.
“He acts on suspicion or out of jealousy after receiving money and pig.
“The glasman identifies innocent people and the members of the group carry out the killings.”
Criminal investigations officer in-charge Chief Sgt Steven Yalamu confirmed receiving the report which homicide was engaged to investigate the murder as well to verify
He said the whole community knew Tagu well and he could not possibly be practising sorcery.
“The killing was inhumaned and uncalled for,” Yalamu said.
“Police need to restore peace and the people to respect the law and avoid taking the law into own hands.”