Suspects arrested, awaiting court

NINE suspects of a sorcery-related killing in Nawaeb, Morobe, are in custody awaiting their court date while police investigate the incident, police say.
Police commander Supt Alex N’Drasal said the incident occurred on June 19 at about 4am at Situm Aihi Block area in the Labuta local level government of Nawaeb after a young boy had died.
Supt N’Drasal said the relatives of the boy suspected the victim Masaugai Kwanewe (deceased), from Momsalop in the Nabak LLG (Nawaeb) of practising sorcery that resulted in the boy’s death.
The nine suspects armed with weapons went to the victim’s house, surrounded it and called him.
To his surprise, the suspects started attacking him, cutting him up. They beheaded him and placed his head on a stump on the roadside.
N’Drasal said last week the families and relatives of the deceased mobilised and went demanding for compensation from the suspects’ families but another fight erupted and police arrested another seven people.
Three others escaped.
“I have advised my police officers to talk to leaders of both ethic groups to do a mediation and solve the problems since innocent people were affected,” Supt N’Drasal said.
“I am calling on the leaders of Kabwum to tell their people that the matter is before the police for the law to deal with so they must put down their weapons.”