Five women died from injuries after being tortured by men

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
FIVE women have died from injuries they received from men who tortured them for allegedly practising sorcery in Enga and Southern Highlands, police say.
Police Commissioner David Manning told The National that three women died in Kagua, Southern Highlands.
Two aged 45 and 50 died in Enga and were buried by members of the Catholic Church.
Comm Manning said the incident happened in July 2020 at Wanapos, Laiagam but its video was circulated only this year.
“If someone had come out early and said something, these two women may be still alive. Instead the horrendous torture they endured is now being seen clearly by the country,” he added.
He said the payment of compensation by one of the men allegedly involved in the death of the two women in Wanapos was “disappointing”.
“It means more work (for the police) to bring the men involved to justice and I urge families of victims not to allow this perpetrators to come and pay compensation to them for the death of their mother, sister, grandmother,” Comm Manning said.
A man arrested for the torture of the women was allowed back into the community at Wanapos after paying compensation to the women’s families.
He had escaped with others from the police cell in Wabag and returned to Wanapos to pay a compensation of pigs and money.
Enga commander acting Supt Ephenes Nili told The National that the two women were rescued by police and soldiers but later died from the injuries they had received during the torture.
He also said another 30-year-old woman and a boy accused with the two women of practising sorcery were rescued police and soldiers and now living in another part of the province.