Police in Enga will bring all suspects in recent sorcery related violence and murders to justice say Enga Provincial Police Commander Acting Superintendent George Kakas. Mr Kakas said police investigators have worked tirelessly in the two recent sorcery related violence which has resulted in five deaths and are ready to make arrests. “We know the ring leaders and those involved and are working tirelessly to apprehend them. We have ample manpower with a company of 120 soldiers from the 1RPIR in Enga assisting and we will search until we locate and arrest the perpetrators. “They can run but they cannot hide. We will catch up with them sooner or later so I am appealing to all neighboring tribes within and around the scene of the two sorcery related violence and killings to cooperate with police and not aid and abet the suspects evade police arrest. “This is an evil which will affect each of us if not addressed now so everyone must help to end this,” Mr Kakas said. PPC Kakas added that Police Commissioner David Manning has recognized that sorcery related violence is having a negative and dangerous effect on the country and has pledged the Constabulary’s commitment in ending all forms of family sexual violence and sorcery accusation related violence. “To ensure that the Constabulary takes action swiftly on sorcery related violence the Commissioner is holding individual policemen and women responsible should they fail to swiftly deal with FSV and SARV,” Mr Kakas said. The PPC said that sorcery related violence and killings is a new law and order problem that is taking a stranglehold on almost all communities in Enga province. Mr Kakas said, “In fact, it is a new phenomenon which was not practiced 10 to 15 years ago. It was introduced through marriage to other provinces and through Engans living in other provinces for long periods of time and becoming immersed in other cultures and influences and bringing it home to their communities. Now it has spread like wildfire through the length and breadth of the Enga province. “From 2014 to 2018 in my first stint as PPC Enga, I saw this upsurge in sorcery accusations as a real law and order problem and set up a unit called the "Sorcery Accusations Related Violence Unit" (SARV). “I was very passionate about addressing this scourge and law and order problem because of nonsensical accusations made against innocent people, especially old women and weaklings who could not fend for or defend themselves in the society. “The people who are being tortured are almost always vulnerable women, children and men, especially the sick and disabled. The victims were not people of strong influence, usually single women, widowers and those who had no one to stand up for them. “SARV against women is often particularly brutal and sexualised, with the violent acts specifically targeting the victim’s womanhood, in the case of females. “I set up the task force unit to basically attend to any and all false accusations, torture and killings related to sorcery. Its primary mission at that stage was to respond to any sorcery cases to save the victim and relocate them somewhere safe and then to arrest perpetrators. “The unit functioned well with the little resources we had. Our biggest help was the connection to the Churches and NGOs such as the Catholic and Lutheran Churches and the PNG Tribal Foundation. These NGOs were really helpful especially when it came to health care and relocation of the victims to safe houses. However, the unit disbanded right after I took up a new post in late 2018. “Recently in June 2022, as soon as I was reappointed PPC Enga, the two recent sorcery related incidents occurred under my watch. The first one was the case involving the death of trucking icon, Jacob Luke. When he passed on, nine women were blamed for performing "sanguma" and were rounded up and tortured. “Four died and five were rescued personally by me and taken to hospital and later to church-run safe houses for safety. “The second incident was at Wapenamanda two weeks ago where a woman was tortured after she was accused by her dying son of having performed sorcery on her. She was rescued by Wapenamanda Police and Church volunteers, but later succumbed to her injuries. “In both these cases, the entire community seems to condone these acts. Village leaders such as magistrates, councilors and even pastors are completely silent on the issue and not cooperating with police to report these crimes or name suspects. Even the victims themselves and close relatives of the victims are too afraid to report or name suspects fearing a backlash from the community. “This has prompted me to revive the provincial SARV unit to address these issues relating to sorcery or "sanguma" beliefs. “We as a law enforcing body have a lot of challenges within the province but this will not discourage me or my men, as we will do everything in our power to bring these perpetrators to face the full force of the law. As Police Commissioner Manning has rightly stated, we can stop sorcery related violence if we hold perpetrators accountable under the law through effective investigations and prosecutions. “I have now set up this task force on the 12^th of September 2022. I have appointed Senior Inspector Richard Koki as the commander of this unit to address all sorcery related violence cases. I am appealing to all churches, NGOs and stakeholders to partner with us through this unit to address and stop sorcery related violence. “For those who are afraid to come to the police station or want to be discreet because of the stigma and community backlash, please contact Mr Koki on 73751999 or the PPC on 71173573 and we will be more than happy to assist. “This is a new dimension in our crime fight to eradicate this evil scourge from eating away at the fabrics of our society and must be addressed collectively and at all levels. It is a spiritual, cultural as well as a law and order issue, and proactive action such as widespread awareness will be untaken by my command going forward. “I have instructed my officers of the SARV unit to start doing awareness on the law as part of our crime fight strategy. “On that token, I will call for the initiative taken in the recent Sorcery National Action plan (SNAP) instigated by the Government to mitigate and address sorcery issues at district, provincial and national levels to be brought forward and given some level of prominence at the national setting. “In conclusion, this is everyone’s fight. We must all act collectively now to address this evil that is now being practised by many communities throughout the country but predominantly in the Highlands. Failure to act will allow this evil act to be accepted as normal.”