Killed over dog’s death

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
THE death of a dog sparked a sorcery execution of a man and the arrest of three suspects in Gulf last week, Kerema police station commander Sr Insp Michael Pakyei says.
“The suspected sorcerer was killed and left in the bush after denying having any knowledge on the dog’s ‘mysterious’ death in Kikori’s Hepere village,” he said.
“The dog’s owner had accused the suspected sorcerer for his dog’s death.
“The accused sorcerer was angered by the accusation and a fight broke out.
“The dog owner’s relatives also joined in the fight but the accused sorcerer fought them off.
“The accused sorcerer was still angry and turned on other villagers and fought with them.
“The villagers fought and forced the suspected sorcerer to retreat into his house.
“The villagers rushed in and the suspected sorcerer jumped out the window and fled into the bush but the villagers caught him.
“They then slashed and killed him with bush knives.
“After the slaying, they dumped the body in the bush and returned to the village.
“The mother of the accused sorcerer then went to the bush, retrieved the body and brought it back to the village for a proper burial.” Sr Insp Pakyei said the three suspects surrendered to police and were charged with murder.
The murder suspects are remanded in the Kerema police station lockup.