Police exhume bodies

By PISAI GUMAR
MADANG police and a doctor this week exhumed the bodies of three men suspected of sorcery and killed at Ambunk village, Tangu, Bogia, in Madang.
The police criminal investigation unit from Madang led by Sgt Bola Rimur and Dr Jiuth Gawi of the Modilon Hospital went to two Sereken villages and exhumed the bodies on Wednesday to verify the extent of injuries they received.
The corpses of brothers Patrick and Max Dariki, and Soni Tumba, from two Sereken villages were dug up watched by members of the police rapid response unit.
The exhuming of the bodies was to verify injuries sustained in particular the body parts removed by the members of the cult.
The body parts are cooked or eaten by the cult members to give them magical powers they say can help them identify sorcerers.
Gawi confirmed that Patrick sustained brain damage, had his penis, testicles and two right fingers removed and had severe wounds on his body.
Max, 26, was hit on the neck with a knife plus multiple wounds on the body. Soni, 47, also sustained multiple wounds.
“The mutilation and removal of the body parts led to loss of blood and death,” said Gawi.
CID officer Aloysius Gabe said the 28 suspects faced two counts each for murder – 56 charges altogether.
The two counts for murder were for the killing of the Dariki brothers Max and Patrick. They may be additional charges in regards to Tumba’s death.
“The evidence gathered will be properly compiled and presented in court for the prosecution of the 28 suspects accordingly,” said Gabe.
Police investigation also revealed that Richard Wakarum, 42, a cult member was allegedly killed by Patrick who was trying to defend himself against the cult members.
Police also surveyed the area where the killings took place, a few metres from the Tangu Catholic Mission station and took pictures of the site.
The Dariki brothers were both married.