AN elderly 70s was brutally murdered and his guest house and three makeshift houses were burnt by a large group of men who suspected him of practicing sorcery in Onlo village, Upper Jimi in Jiwaka Province.
A PNG Tribal Foundation officer is assisting the family of the deceased to report the matter to Banz police and officers dealing with Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV).
The deceased man’s son (named) told Tribal Foundation that he was still in shock of what had happened to his father last Saturday between 5pm to 6pm at their home while he was attending Mendi Teachers College in Southern Highlands Province.
He said the villages blamed his father for the death of his uncle in 2021.
“He was my uncle and I know he was a sick person but when he died, they blamed by father of making sorcery on him and it took four years after my father was killed because they thought he was behind the death of him.
“Last Saturday, the suspects saw a man visited my late uncle’s graveyard they questioned him and was trying to attack him when he mentioned my father’s name that he killed by him, the mob didn’t waste time they went into our home and chopped him into pieces.”
He added that his family and relatives watched helplessly while his father was brutally murdered.
PNG Tribal Foundation president GT Bustin said: “We are seeing this kind of horrific and barbaric behaviour happening so often that unfortunately it is becoming far too common. We are calling on the government to step up and do more to help us with arrests and successful prosecution of perpetrators, rescues and protection of victims, and awareness of the law and successful prosecutions for people across the country.
“Too many people are doing studies and forums. We need less talk and more action.
“As I always say, ‘glassmen’ don’t go to forums and Tribal needs help, we are an NGO and we are doing the governments job with very little support.
“We must hold SARV perpetrators accountable before anything will change,” Mr Bustin said.
He added that Tribal Foundation would working closely with police and the victims on the case.
Banz Police Station CID officer First Constable David Tal confirmed receiving the complaint for further investigations.
“I have advised the victims to find a home valuer to value their properties destroyed so police can use the evidence to proceed with arrests and criminal chargers laid,” he said.