SUSPECTED WITCHES HACKED TO DEATH

February 12, 1998: PORT MORESBY (Reuters) - Five women suspected of being witches were hacked to death or strangled by angry villagers in the remote highlands region of Papua New Guinea, police said on Wednesday.

Six men have been charged with the murders. . .

Iarume said the women were practicing sorcery and were killed because it was believed their witchcraft was responsible for the mysterious deaths of an unknown number of villagers and some pigs. . .

The murders were committed several weeks ago and it took some time for the news to reach police, Iarume said. Heavy rain then prevented police from traveling through the rugged highlands terrain until last weekend.

Most Papua New Guineans are Christians but fear of sorcery remains widespread, even among those who have received traditional Western or missionary educations.