highlands of Papua New Guinea where it is believe by many that
witchcraft exists and sorcery is used to kill enemies.
The tragedy unfolded after Miss Leniata's young neighbour fell sick on
Tuesday morning. He complained of pains in the stomach and chest and
was taken to Mt Hagen hospital where he died a few hours later, Daily
Mail reported.
Suspecting that witchcraft was involved in the boy's death, relatives
of the boy learned that two women had gone into hiding in the jungle.
They went after the women and tracked them down. The women admitted
they practised sorcery but denied having anything to do with the
boy's death. Rather, they accused Miss Leniata as being responsible.
The boy's family reportedly went to her hut at 7am on Wednesday.
Kepari Leniata, 20, 'confessed' after she was dragged from her hut,
stripped naked and tortured with white-hot iron rods.
She was then dragged to a local rubbish dump, doused in petrol and,
with hands and feet bound, thrown on a fire of burning tyres. As the
mother-of-two screamed in agony, more petrol-soaked tyres were thrown
on top of her.
Police who rushed to the area were turned back by the angry crowd, but
were able to drive away with one of the other women while the second
has fled.
Papua New Guinean police have launched a murder investigation and are
reportedly preparing charges against those responsible.
The country's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has sworn to bring the
killers to justice, as he addressed the matter in a statement today.
'No one commits such a despicable act in the society that all of us,
including Kepari, belong to,' he said.
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