NIP death blamed on black magic

A WOMAN in New Ireland was allegedly killed using black magic after she refused to have sex with a man from Bakok village.
New Ireland police commander Supt Albert Beli said at around 3pm to 4pm on Feb 24, the woman and her two children were at a creek trying to wash.
“She bathed her children and was trying to bath after when the incident occurred,” he said.
“She was grabbed by the hand and dragged into the creek by something that was explained to be a crocodile.”
Beli said the woman shouted and screamed for help.
“Her husband ran to the creek and watched in fear as the wife was being dragged away,” he said.
Beli said later that day the incident was reported to police from Kokopo who were being deployed for security operations with a logging company at Metlik Plantation.
A search was made immediately, searching Wara Yawan (river) and Bakok village.
Beli said that a tip was received that it wasn’t a crocodile, but a man from Bakok village who had allegedly used black magic to kill the woman.
“The suspect was held by police at Metlik logging camp and transported to Namatanai Police Station for investigations,” he said.
“But he escaped on the night of Feb 29. He was rearrested in Siar village.
“Police at Metlik logging camp were tipped off again on the suspect’s next location and on March 12 at around 6pm boarded a dinghy at Metlik to Weitin village, left the dinghy and walked to Siar.”
The suspect’s location was raided.
Beli said the suspect admitted to committing murder, saying that he had used black magic and turned himself into a crocodile and dragged her into the water.
He said on March 14 the suspect was taken to Namatanai and was detained, awaiting further investigations.