Duo blame mom for death

The National Main Stories

A 57-year-old woman from Enga was stripped naked, beaten and tortured after she was accused by her eldest daughter of being a sorcerer last Thursday as the country walked in protest against all forms of violence.
The victim was rescued by members of a Catholic parish as well as an American missionary and police.
The victim is a mother of four and has two grandchildren, one of which passed away last Wednesday and was accused of causing the death.
She said her son and daughter consulted a local pastor about the death and pastor told that she had been practicing sorcery and had killed her grandchild.
“They came back and dragged me out of the house, my own son and daughter whom I had given birth to and raised,” the woman said.
The victim said her husband also supported their actions and watched as his relatives helped her daughter and son.
“They stripped me naked and tied my hands and legs, they beat me and were putting the irons into the fire when the missionaries came and rescued me.”
The victim was brought to her own village where she was treated at a local aid post.
Attempts made to get comments from the provincial police commander were not successful, however, American Anton Lutz, a missionary based in Enga, told The National that they had got the woman out before she was burnt and tortured.
Lutz said so far this year there had been about 20 cases of women being accused of practising sorcery and tortured.
“This issue needs to be addressed,” he said.
“We have police on the ground but most times they are not able to do much.”
Lutz called for action in addressing sorcery in the province and said it was time the Government, churches and communities started addressing the matter and taking action against it.
He called on the Council of Churches to look into practices of pastors in remote areas who supported and encouraged the torture and murder of women accused of practising sorcery.
Local human rights activist Dickson Tanda said the villagers were trying to solve the issue in a customary way but were told to leave it with the police.
Tanda said there had been 17 sorcery-related cases in Enga in the past three months which had cost about K30,000 to resolve.
He said a case cost between K1,000 and K2,000 for repatriation purposes and the Catholic Diocese of Wabag was the only agency that supported the cause.

7 comments

  • The pastor that advised the woman’s children that she was a sorcerer does not qualify to be a pastor but definitely the devil’s advocate.
    He is definitely a cult leader.
    How could you be sure that she killed the baby? Unless, you are a leech, using your platform for your selfish ambition and motives to suck people of their life savings.
    Kainkain Giaman pastor pulap lo trickim yupla lo kisim Moni.
    This is the opposite of what Jesus would do. Do not use God’s name for your evil deeds..

  • The pastor who advised them will held accountable if the woman loose her life. Thanks to the missionary who saved her. The police should arrest the pastor!!

  • Sorcery is a reality. Sorcery is real and is practiced in many parts of Papua New Guinea. Look at this case, the children are accusing their very own biological mother of witchcraft. Papua New Guinea, do not be blind and try to push the agendas and influences of the western cultures down our throats. Something has to be done to address and eradicate sorcery and witchcraft practices from PNG.
    To do an in-depth study and report on these practices one has to be a practitioner himself/ herself. One can not give an accurate account by just going around asking questions to would-be practitioners or the general public. These practices have been here since the times of our forefathers but were controlled through capital punishment or such. Now sorcery and witchcraft had flourished with the law protecting sorcery and witchcraft practitioners.
    To address this issue the government must not blindly enforce foreign policy but look deep within to understand and take measures to protect both the sorcerer and the victim of sorcery.

  • Devil uses Pastors to do it’s work on to lure people hell. Many self proclaimed Pastors with personal motives. This is no exception and may I ask those followers this Satanic Pastor to Flee. He is working like a witch who goes around collecting payments.

  • I see that Engans who have never known any form of sorcery or witchcraft in their lives have now gone berserk at the mere mention of sanguma and are willing to stop at nothing to rid this practice that has been brought in from other provinces where sanguma is part of their culture and traditions and is a way of life for them. Many Engans are blaming almost all natural deaths on sanguma now because they are either confused or suddenly put into a position where they can not recognize and identify the causes of deaths or turn to established “glassmen” within their areas because they had any in the first place. This where their PG and action governor must step in and educate the people not to form conclusions on hearsay or assumptions!

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