8 Feb 2013

Killing prompts PNG call for court to hear sorcery cases

2:59 pm on 8 February 2013

Papua New Guinea police have suggested a special court to hear allegations of sorcery.

This comes as the police commissioner, Tom Kulunga, has condemned the killing in Mt Hagen of a woman accused of sorcery.

20 year old Kepari Leniata was stripped naked, tortured and set on fire on Wednesday.

Police say they will arrest and prosecute the murderers but spokesperson, Superintendent Dominic Kakas, says the commissioner also wants a wider discussion on sorcery.

One of his suggestions is for a court to defuse the increasing violence around sorcery.

Mr Kakas says some Papua New Guineans genuinely believe in sorcery but there is no court to hear their allegations.

"They believe that someone has cast a spell on them but who will listen to them? The courts will not allow evidence. You have got to produce evidence in court and so on and so forth and basically, in some way the commissioner was saying we should explore perhapds an avenue for people to actually let out their frustrations and maybe we can find a solution to this."