EHP police grilling nine who ‘admitted’ to sorcery

By ZACHERY PER
POLICE are questioning nine men held hostage in the past months by a group of villagers after they admitted to practising sorcery.
The villagers are from Upper Bena in Unggai-Bena, Eastern Highlands.
They were advised by businessman Obed Zebedee, the managing director of Manaka Security Services, not to harm the nine but hand them over to police.
Provincial Rural Police Station commander Chief Inspector Andrew Wawia and provincial police commander Superintendent Alex N’Drasal thanked the villagers for handing over the men.
Wawia told the villagers that nobody had the right to take the life of a person.
He said people who killed those they accused of practising sorcery would be charged with murder.
Wawia thanked Zebedee and Liorofa villagers for not taking the law into their own hands and sparing the lives of the nine people.
Zebedee praised the people of Liorofa village and Upper Bena for not harming the nine.
Liorofa village leader Ebra Kokovio said one man had admitted causing the death of another villager through sorcery.
The man then identified eight others.
Chief police investigator Sergeant Eric Posa is leading the team  questioning the nine.