In response to the recent horrific torture and murder of a woman in Hela Province, Papua New Guinea, Police Commissioner David Manning on July 7 strongly condemned the brutality and announced a reward of K50,000 for information leading to the capture of those responsible.
“The nation has witnessed, with shock and outrage, the inhumane torture and brutal killing of a Highlands woman over the past week,” Manning stated.
“The perpetrators who tortured and murdered this woman have committed acts so heinous that words fail to describe them. They behaved like beasts, devoid of any humanity. And those who stood by and watched without intervening are nothing but shameful cowards.”
Manning harshly criticized the violence carried out under the guise of “sorcery” (Sanguma). “So-called ‘traditional beliefs’ must not be used as a shield for criminal behavior. These atrocities, disguised as culture, are an affront to a civilized society. Fifty years ago, our country did not practice such customs, and there is absolutely no place for them in modern Papua New Guinea.”
“Murder is murder, no matter what cultural excuse you try to use,” Manning said. He confirmed that police have committed all available resources to track down those involved and bring them to justice.
The case reportedly involves two groups of offenders: the first group directly carried out the torture and killing and are the primary targets of the reward, while the second group provided support or material assistance behind the scenes.
“I have instructed the Hela Provincial Police Commander to spare no effort and use every legal tool available to remove these criminals from our communities,” he said.
Police revealed that through video analysis of the crime scene, several suspects have already been identified, and details of the first six suspects have now been publicly released.
Authorities have pledged a K50,000 reward for anyone who provides verifiable information that leads to arrests.
“We are calling on local communities to come forward. Many people actually know who these criminals are and where they are hiding. Please take a stand for justice and help us stop this intolerable violence.”
Manning assured the public that all information provided will be treated in strict confidence, and rewards will be issued once suspects are confirmed and apprehended.
“These criminals must have nowhere to hide. Justice must prevail,” he emphasized.
The incident has once again drawn public and international attention to the persistent issue of “sorcery-related killings” in PNG.
In recent years, similar cases have continued to occur in the Highlands region, raising serious concerns from the global community over human rights and the rule of law.
This high-profile police action and public reward are seen as a significant turning point in the government’s efforts to combat such atrocities.
