Women’s group working with police to deal with sorcery cases

POLICE in Eastern Highlands are working with partners to dig into any sorcery-related killings and accusations in the province, according to police commander Superintendent Alex N’Drasal.
“We are working with relevant partners to eliminate sorcery-related issues in the eight districts of the province and are calling on people to report to police any unnecessary sorcery accusations and killings,” he said.
N’Drasal pointed this out yesterday following the arrest of a ring leader of some 30 suspects who allegedly murdered a man accused of practising sorcery of a young man killed during a rugby league-related fight at Okapa station in December 2015.
He said Eastern Highlands police were working with non-governmental organisation Kafe Women’s Association to combat sorcery violence.
“I need the cooperation of leaders in the community, district and province to address and eventually rid sorcery-related violence in Eastern Highlands,” he said.
He said through the Kafe Women’s Association, police identified certain hotspots in the eight districts that they would focus attention on to attend to sorcery-related incidents.
N’Drasal called for a concerted effort from community, church, non-governmental organisations, district and leaders to work with the police to  end all sorcery accusations and killings.
He said the Sorcery Act lacked teeth to bite effectively and they were now using the Criminal Code Act section 299 to prosecute people found guilty of sorcery-related murders and accusations.
Meanwhile, a group of suspects who admitted practising sorcery in the Bena area are to surrender to police today (Wednesday) after they admitted to being responsible for the death of a person in the community.
Supt N’Drasal confirmed the surrender and assigned a police unit from Bena to attend to the surrender before police will take appropriate action to deal with the issue.