14 Mar 2011

PNG government wants to toughen laws on sorcery

5:37 am on 14 March 2011

The Papua New Guinea government is looking at toughening the laws surrounding sorcery and sorcery related killings.

It has asked the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission to review the law in an attempt to either repeal the Sorcery Act or amend it

The aim of the Commission is to determine the effectiveness of the law in terms of the existing offences and penalties.

One Commissioner, Dr Betty Lovai, says the current law is not adequate to deal with sorcery related killings.

Dr Lovai says the increase in the number of sorcery and sorcery killings is a growing concern for the government.

"By the fact that we were given a reference, because the reference was issue by the minister for justice and that means that the government sees it as an issue."

Dr Betty Lovai says as part of the review the Commission will also visit all the provinces, starting in Port Moresby.

She also adds the Commission is aware that the task ahead will be a challenge.