Maldives: Two Ministers Arrested For Performing Black Magic Against President Muizzu, Says Report
Two ministers in Maldives were arrested for allegedly performing black magic on President Mohamed Muizzu, said local media report. The arrested were identified as Shamnaz Saleem, who was a state minister at the Environment Ministry, her ex-husband Adam Rameez, who was serving as a minister at the President’s Office. Two others were also arrested.
Police refused to share information behind the motive or about the alleged performance of the black magic. Reportedly, Shamnaz’s younger sibling and the other suspect is believed to be the sorcerer.
The two ministers were suspended and has been remanded on custody for seven days, as reported by local media.
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Both the ministers have worked with Muizzu as members of Male City Council when he was serving as the city’s mayor. As per the media report, after Muizzu assumed office as the President in last November, Shamnaz was first appointed as a state minister first at Muliaage, the official residence of the president. She was then transferred to the Environment Ministry.
“Rameez, during his time at Male City Council, was known as a close aide of Muizzu, who was the mayor at that time…However, he has been absent from the public light in the past five months or so”, the local media further added.
Neither the President’s office nor the Island nation’s government made any official comment on the issue.
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Though sorcery is not a criminal offence in Maldives, it can land one in a six-month jail sentence under Islamic law.
According to AFP report, traditional ceremonies, believed to bring good fortune or harm to opponents, are believed to be widely practised across Maldives. In a related incident, a 62-year-old woman was murdered by three neighbours on Manadhoo in April 2023 after being accused of performing black magic, according to the Mihaaru news site, following an extensive police investigation, said AFP. Police said there was no evidence of the victim engaged in sorcery.
