Elderly couple in sorcery-related attack

 By ELIAS LARI

AN elderly couple from Jiwaka suspected of sorcery were attacked last Friday and properties, including houses and animals, were destroyed.

The two were working in their garden next to a cemetery where a medical doctor was buried recently.

However youths, believed to be the relatives of the medical doctor, claimed the couple was practising sorcery and attacked the pair.

They raided their village, slaughtered several pigs and burnt houses belonging to them.

Provincial police commander Supt Joseph Tondop said yesterday the attack was blamed on sorcery.

He said police in Nondugl acted on a tip-off and managed to calm the situation.

“Sorcery-related problems are a very big concern nowadays,” he said.

“I do not know why people are not reasoning things properly before taking action.

“This is very serious because they both could have been killed and things could have gone from bad to worse.

“I have assigned the police station commander in Nondugl to look into the matter.”

Tondop has appealed to both parties to allow police investigations to continue.