Black magic on Maldives President: ministers arrested

Two ministers of Maldives were arrested for performing black magic targeting President Mohamed Muizzu. They had allegedly done this as part of their bid to unseat him. One of the ministers accused was Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem. She was serving as the Minister for Environment, Climate Change, and Energy. The Maldives officials have not officially confirmed the reports of black magic. But some materials believed to have been used in the ritual were confiscated from her home.

Sorcery is not a criminal offence under the penal code in the Muslim-majority Maldives. But it carries six-month jail sentence under Islamic law. People across the country widely practice such traditional witchcraft. They believe that black magic can help win favours. They can cause harm to rivals. There were allegations that black magic was performed during last elections in the country. It was believed to have helped Muizzu to win.