Ministers among four arrested for 'black magic' on Maldives president

Two ministers were among four people arrested for allegedly performing "black magic" on Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, reports cited officials as saying.

As per Economic Times, the suspects include Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem, the state minister for Environment, Climate Change and Energy, her ex-husband Adam Rameez, who is also a minister at the President's Office and two others. 

The climate minister was remanded in custody for a week pending investigations, officers said, without giving details for her arrest in the mysterious matter. 

"There have been reports that Shamnaz was arrested for performing black magic on President Dr Mohamed Muizzu," said the Sun, a local media outlet.

Notably, both Shamnaz and Rameez were known to have worked with Muizzu as members of the Male City Council when he was serving as the city's mayor, The Economic Times reported. 

Police would neither confirm nor deny the report and have declined to share any information about the reasons for the alleged performance of black magic.

Shamnaz holds an important position in a nation which remains on the frontlines of the climate crisis, with UN environment experts warning that rising seas could make Maldives virtually uninhabitable by the end of the century.

Sorcery is not a criminal offence under the penal code in the Muslim-majority country, but it does carry a six-month jail sentence under Islamic law.

People across the picturesque archipelago widely practice traditional ceremonies, believing they can win favours and curse opponents.

Previously, a 62-year-old woman was stabbed to death by three neighbours on Manadhoo in April 2023 after she was accused of conducting black magic rituals, the Mihaaru news site reported last week, after a lengthy police investigation.

It quoted police as saying that they had failed to find any evidence the murder victim performed sorcery.

In 2012, police cracked down on an opposition political rally after accusing organisers of throwing a "cursed rooster" at officers raiding their offices.

With additional input from AFP.