97 convicted in mass trial for PNG 'sorcery' killings

8:11 am on 16 January 2018

All of the 97 people accused of the sorcery-related killings of seven people in 2014 have been convicted of murder after a mass trial in Papua New Guinea.

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Photo: 123RF

It has been described as PNG's biggest trial in recent years.

The National newspaper reported all 97 accused were found guilty at the National Court in Madang on Friday of killing seven people.

They had pleaded not guilty in April and a joint trial was conducted.

The paper reported the men were members of a group of about 189 males who marched for at least 10 kilometres wearing war paint to seek out and kill sorcerers living in Sakiko Village.

The court found the group raided the village, destroying properties and food gardens before attacking the victims using bows and arrows, bush knives and axes.

The victims included an elderly man and two young boys.

Nathan Aki, who was 3-years-old, was among those killed when he was pulled from his fleeing mother and chopped to pieces.

The 97 convicted will appear again for sentence at a later date.

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