Court extends remand of former Maldivian minister arrested for performing black magic on president

Man: A Maldives court on Monday extended the remand of former state minister Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem and his sister Hawwa Sana Saleem by one week for allegedly performing black magic on President Mohamed Muizzu, according to media.

Police arrested Shamnaz, who was a state minister in the environment ministry, his sister Sana and the alleged witch doctor based on a police intelligence report last week.

They were arrested on June 23 for using witchcraft or black magic “to get closer” to President Muizzu, news portal Adhadhu reported. Their initial seven-day pretrial detention period ended on Monday.

The two sisters' pretrial detention hearing was held at the criminal court, which extended their pretrial detention by one week, the report said.

The suspected sorcerer has been released, according to police.

Shamnaz was suspended from her post as a state minister after her arrest. Her ex-husband Adam Rameez, who was a minister in the president's office, was also suspended in the case, according to the news portal Sun.mv reported, adding that he had fled the country.

The government has not yet made an official comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, police on Sunday sought digital information from the two sisters and seized their phones, a sealed mobile phone, a keychain distributed during an Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) tournament, a lock of hair found in Sana's room and a necklace from Shamnaz's room, according to a separate report from Adhadhu said.

The keychain confiscated by police was a woolen stuffed doll, the report said.

The list of items needed for the investigation included mobile phones, USB sticks, external hard drives, computer systems, laptops, any device that can store digital data, books related to the case and any object used for witchcraft or black magic.

Police did not reveal whether the target of Shamnaz's alleged witchcraft was the president, her ex-husband Adam or someone else, the report said.

Shamnaz and Sana were arrested for allegedly paying the sorcerer on multiple occasions to perform “witchcraft and black magic to divide a couple, win love and establish close relationships with people,” the report said.