Court extends remand of ex-Maldivian minister arrested for performing alleged black magic on President

Male: A Maldivian court on Monday extended the judicial remand of former state minister Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem and her sister Hawwa Sana Saleem for a week for allegedly performing black magic on President Mohamed Muizzu, according to media reports.

Police arrested Shamnaz, who was a state minister at the Environment Ministry, her sister Sana and the alleged sorcerer based on a police intelligence report last week.

They were arrested on June 23 for using sorcery or black magic "to get closer to" President Muizzu, news portal Adhadhu reported. Their initial seven-day remand period ended on Monday.

The remand hearing of the two sisters was held at the Criminal Court that extended their remand by a week, the report said.

The alleged sorcerer was released from custody, according to the police.

Shamnaz was suspended from her post as state minister following her arrest. Her ex-husband Adam Rameez, who was serving as a minister at the President’s Office, was also suspended in the case, news portal Sun.mv reported, adding that he has reportedly fled the country.

The government has yet to make an official comment about the case.

Meanwhile, police on Sunday sought digital information from the two sisters and seized their phones, a sealed mobile phone, a key tag 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, a separate report by Adhadhu said.

The key tag confiscated by the police was a woollen plush doll, the report said.

A list of items needed for the investigation included mobile phones, pen drives, external hard disks, computer systems, laptops, any device that can store digital data, books related to the case and any item used for sorcery or black magic.

Police have not revealed whether the target of Shamnaz's alleged witchcraft was the President, her ex-husband Adam or some other person, according to the report.

Shamnaz and Sana were arrested for allegedly paying the sorcerer on several occasions to practice "sorcery and black magic to split up a couple and to win over love and establish close relations with persons", the report said.