Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Two PNG women beheaded over sorcery allegations

Posted at 22:15 on 02 May, 2008 UTC

Two Papua new Guinea women were beheaded and their bodies burnt after suspicions of sorcery emerged against them in Togoba outside Mt Hagen.

The Post Courier newspaper reports that the women, who were originally from Chimbu and Western Highlands respectively, were subjected to a torture ordeal since Monday.

Heated pieces of metal were poked through their bodies and hot wire coils rolled around their bodies.

According to two eye witnesses, the women were suspected of removing the heart of a man last Friday through sorcery, causing his death.

Locals said relatives of the dead man, allegedly led by his son, held up the two women on Monday and started assaulting them inside the house of one of the women.

All Togoba villagers reportedly agreed that the two women, who both had children, should be killed.

Locals said the two women were suspected for causing the death of many people in the community.