Two Natives Sentenced.
p. 15 · Read in the full issue
Papuan Murder.
From Our Own Correspondent.
Pt. Moresby, March 1.
TWO natives of Eofi, a district in the mountains, 50 miles north of Pt.
Moresby, in the Central Division, were found guilty of murdering a native named Siloki, at the Central Court, before his Honor, Mr. Justice Gore, on February 24, The murder appears to have been the result of the usual sorcery, one of the accused alleging Siloki had ppri puri’d his father, who died soon after, and this crime was of the nature of a “pay back,” which is the motive of most crimes in Papua.
The body was found submerged in a creek, tied to a stake. After the arrest had taken place, one native admitted he had speared Siloki and that the other had broken his neck. The two natives were found guilty and sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour.
The Eon district lies off the main road to Kokoda. The natives are not war-like, but primitive and supersti tious, and their belief in sorcery is intense.