Gulf family flees home after sorcery accusation

SOME are heard and many are not, most victims of suspected sorcery-related issues remain silent, fearing what could happen to them after all they had gone through.
Fareho Leiroro, 71, from Iokea in Gulf, with his wife, two sons and a daughter fled their home in November because he was accused of practising sorcery and causing the death of a family member, Mike Kake.
Leiroro said he escaped after someone tried to kill him.
“I came to Kerema to report the matter to the police, all my properties were destroyed by the angry relatives of the deceased,” he said.
“My house was burnt down, food plants and trees around the house were chopped and a pig killed, leaving my home with nothing.”
He is still living in fear in his hideout. The matter was reported to police but they did not attend to it.
“I really need to go home and rebuild my life but there is no safety guaranteed for me and my family,” Leiroro said.
“I was once accused of a related issue, I was proven not guilty and sent home with restraining order and this one, too, they suspected me but I have nothing to do with the man’s death.
“We have a death certificate and the medical report of the deceased who passed away in the Port Moresby General Hospital. He died of a sore throat,” Leiroro said.
Elder daughter Kila Fareho said the suspect was arrested but was released on bail after two weeks.
“I went and asked the OIC CID Sergeant Allan Mark at Kerema to prove to me with the receipt of the bail but he refused,” she said.
“Mark told me that the suspect was someone he knew and he would not deal with the matter but would assign another officer.
“We waited for so long and so I came to the Southern police headquarters at Konedobu in Port Moresby and reported the case.”
Fareho was sent back to Gulf police commander Silva Sika with an order.
“I am now coming back to get a second order from the headquarters for them to fast-track and deal in our case because we are really tired of the miserable life that we are in.”