A police helicopter has rescued the last surviving victim of a sorcery accusation attack in a remote Simbu village, while nine suspects have been arrested over the deadly incident.
The survivor was airlifted from Wenaiyo village in Karimui Local Level Government last Friday and taken to Kundiawa Hospital for treatment after four men were seriously attacked in an alleged sorcery-related violence (SARV) incident.
Simbu Provincial Police Commander Superintendent Mazuc Rubiang said in a statement that the rescue was made possible after Police Commissioner David Manning deployed the police helicopter and officers, supported by Mobile Squad 13 from Lae.
He also thanked the Seventh-day Adventist Church for evacuating three wounded victims to Kundiawa Hospital last week.
“The police helicopter relieved a lot of stress for my police officers, who otherwise would have had to walk for days to respond to the incident,” Supt Rubiang said.
He confirmed that nine suspects have been arrested and will be investigated and charged.
According to police, about 15-armed men allegedly surrounded the victims at about 5.30am on Sunday, July 12, and attacked them with offensive weapons.
One man died in the attack, while the remaining victims suffered serious injuries.
Police said the suspects accused the victims of practicing sorcery and blamed them for the death of an elderly tribesman a month earlier.
“I want to thank my police officers from Kundiawa and the others who responded and rescued the seriously wounded men,” Supt Rubiang said.
“Those who have been arrested will be thoroughly investigated and charged accordingly.”
He said sorcery-related violence cases were increasing in Simbu Province and urged communities to reject such attacks.
“Sorcery-related violence (SARV) cases in Simbu have increased, and police are doing their best to raise awareness so that people respect one another,” he said.
“When we respect each other, we won’t hurt each other.”