Court denies duo bail in sorcery-related incident

THE Lae Committal Court has denied bail for a man and a teenager accused of killing another man in a sorcery-related incident in Finschhafen, Morobe, earlier this year.
Maison Muko, 25, and the juvenile, from Lakona village, appeared before Magistrate Pious Tapil charged with wilful murder.
The court denied bail for the pair but advised them to apply for bail at the National Court.
Magistrate Tapil said police investigators would have three months to gather the evidence and testimonies to present to court during the trial.
He said the case would be transferred from Lae Committal Court to Finschhafen Court and would be heard during the court circuit.
The case was adjourned to July 21 for mention.
The court heard that on Feb 28, the defendants and a co-accused were mourning the death of a man from their village at a haus krai.
They had allegedly suspected the victim of practising sorcery in the village which resulted in previous deaths of villagers including the one they were mourning.
Police reports alleged that the victim was spotted and followed to a road, he was attacked with bush knives.