Woman accused of practising sorcery afraid to go home

By REBECCA KUKU
A WOMAN recovering in hospital from wounds she received when assaulted by men who accused her of practising sorcery says she is afraid to return home.
Helen Mark, 36, a mother-of-one, said the men who thought she had died after the attack would kill her if they knew she had survived the attack last Thursday.
Her fingers on one hand chopped off, she was hit on her head, neck, legs and ribs after she was accused of causing the death of her half-brother in Hela’s Wanapika village.
She has received word from the village that the men were waiting for her return from the hospital.
“They will kill me if I return home because there is nowhere I can hide if I go back to the village.
“They will find me,” she said.
“They are now even threatening my cousin who is with me at the hospital, accusing him of saving me and bringing me to the hospital.”
Her cousin Rendi Denias tried to save her during the attack but was overpowered by the men.
He is guarding her at the hospital.
“She is doing well now and is in a stable condition. But she is not able to eat solid food yet and is only drinking water.”
Lutheran missionary Anton Lutz has called for a Women’s Lives Matter campaign for women such as Mark who have been the victims of sorcery accusation related violence.