The police in Papua New Guinea say government agencies need to act to reduce sorcery related violence.
Photo: 123 RF
This week in Lae, police rescued a woman accused of sorcery from what they described as a sacrificial fire.
Elizabeth Nicholas was suspected of killing another woman with magic then kidnapped, tortured with hot knives and set on tyres ready for burning when police intervened.
Lae's acting police chief Timothy Pomoso said people in PNG's second biggest city should be more civilised.
He said changing mindsets about sorcery requires government action.
"This should not only be a police concern, although we are primary law enforces, but it needs government intervention, it needs support from all relevant stakeholders, government agencies to address this issue. It's not police alone. We can only do what we can but there are other government agencies that need to come in."
Mr Pomoso said the incident could provoke ethnic violence if Ms Nicholas' relatives retaliate.
