RSIPF investigates burning incident in Malaita Province

Officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) in Auki are investigating a burning incident at Waisisi Village in West Are’Are, Malaita Province on 26 August 2019.

Operation Manager at the Auki Police Station, Inspector Charles Edwin Koto says, “The report reveals that it was a dwelling house that was burnt down in retaliation to claims of sorcery.”

Inspector Koto says, “People at Waisisi Village saw the house burning so they ran and put off the fire. The fire partly destroyed the semi-permanent house.”

“It is believed that the burning of the house was related to a sorcery claim that the victim was blamed a number of deaths in the Village. Following that claim and threats, the victim and his family was moved from their house and relocated to a nearby village for their safety,” Inspector Koto adds.

He says, “Our investigators have already identified two suspects in relation to the burning incident as investigations into the incident continue.”