Papua New Guinea's Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika has called on the Education Department and authorities to address cult activities in schools.
These cult practices involve initiation ceremonies where a new follower is asked to perform certain rituals before being allowed in to a group, which often includes the newcomer being assaulted by other members of the group.
The Post Courier newspaper reports that Justice Salika made this comment when sentencing a student who was found guilty of murdering another student while practising this illegal activity in 2007.
A Grade 8 student from Southern Highlands Province was given a four year suspended prison sentence.
