ACTING Prime Minister John Rosso has condemned the barbaric torture and killing of a woman suspected of sorcery in Magarima, Hela Province, last week.
Mr Rosso said he was horrified by the inhuman actions of the woman’s close relatives.
“What I witnessed in the video from Magarima District, Hela Province, on Saturday 5th July 2025, has shaken me to my core. A woman-stripped naked, hung, and tortured by the very men who should have protected her: her fathers, uncles, brothers, and sons,” he said.
“Let me be absolutely clear: This is not our culture. This is not justice. This is pure barbarism.”
“In Papua New Guinea, we have laws. We have systems of justice. And in our Melanesian tradition, when there are accusations, leaders gather communities to resolve them in a way that restores balance, dignity, and peace.
He said the women’s killers had abandoned all sense of humanity.
“They are not leaders. They are not men. They are predators, driven by drugs, homebrew, and a culture of violence that has no place in our country.”
He added that by filming this atrocity and posting it online, they were trying to spread a virus by encouraging other men in PNG to follow their example.
“This is terrorism against women. This is terrorism against our society.
“As Acting Prime Minister, I will not allow this evil to spread. I have ordered Police to hunt down every man involved in this crime. They will be arrested and brought to justice–no matter how far they run or how deep they hide.
“I have instructed the Police Commissioner, David Manning to use the full strength of the State and leave no stone unturned. If it requires arresting every male member of this village to bring the perpetrators to justice, then so be it. The rule of law must prevail.”
“This act in Magarima is not only a crime against one woman. It is an attack on every woman and girl in this country. It is an attack on our very sovereignty as a nation.”
He commended the Hela Provincial Police Commander Superintendent Michael Welly, Komo Magarima MP Manasseh Makiba, Hela Governor Philip Undialu and community leaders for their swift actions apprehending eight suspects, including the man who allegedly shot the woman.