Fiji police claim teens dug up grave and stole skull in attempt to practice witchcraft

SUVA, Fiji – Fijian authorities claim two teens dug up a grave, stole a skull and hid it as part of a plan to practice witchcraft.

The teens, aged 17 and 19, were due to appear in court Tuesday charged with unlawfully disturbing a grave and "pretending to exercise witchcraft."

A statement from the Fiji Police claims that last November the unnamed teens dug up the grave of a 60-year-old man who had died four years earlier and then hid the skull under a tree about a mile away.

The Fiji Times newspaper reported the dead man's brother alerted police in the town of Savusavu to the incident this week. The Times said the charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in jail.

A police spokeswoman couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.