Accused Witch Burned Alive In Papau New Guinea

Don’t believe in witches? One town in Papau New Guinea certainly does. A gang of citizens reportedly tortured a woman accused of witchcraft and burned her alive while an audience of hundreds watched.

According to reports, relatives of a 6-year-old boy who died earlier in the week had suspected Kepari Leniata, a 20-year-old mother, of practicing witchcraft.

Reports state that the culprits used a hot iron rod and gasoline on her in the process, setting the woman on fire atop a pile of car tires and garbage in an area called Mount Hagen. Photos were snapped during the torturous scene and printed in the country’s newspapers, The National and the Post-Courier.

"The incident happened in broad daylight in front of hundreds of eyewitnesses and yet we haven't picked up any suspects yet," said national police spokesman Dominic Kakas.

No arrests have been made, but the victim’s husband is a “prime suspect,” according to Kakas.

Accusations of sorcery have been rampant in the country recently, leading to pockets of violence.