Maldives State Minister at the Environment Ministry, Fathimath Shammaz Ali Saleem, along with her ex-husband Adam Rameez and two others, were arrested last Thursday, for allegedly performing black magic on President Mohamed Muizzu.
Rameez was serving as a minister at the President’s Office.
All three of them have been remanded in custody. Both Shamnaz and Rameez had earlier worked as members of the Male City Council with Muizzu when he held the position of the city’s mayor.
“Rameez, during his time at Male City Council, was known as a close aide of Muizzu, who was the mayor at that time,” reported Maldives local media.
According to report, Shamnaz, once listed as a political appointee on the Environment Ministry’s website, has been moved to the list of former political appointees.
No comment has been made by either the Maldives government or the President’s office on the issue till now.
The police did not officially confirm that they were arrested for practising ‘black magic’ but accepted that they were investigating a case which involved Shamnaz and two others.
After Muizzu’s election to President’s office last year, Shamnaz resigned from the council, was appointed state minister at Muliaage, and later transferred to the Environment Ministry.
Her role is vital in a nation facing the brunt of the climate crisis. UN environmental experts warn that rising sea levels could make it nearly uninhabitable by the end of the century.
It would be recalled that in April 2023, a 62-year-old woman on Manadhoo was fatally stabbed by three neighbours who accused her of practising black magic, as reported by the Mihaaru news website. After an extensive investigation, police stated they found no evidence to support the claim that the victim was involved in sorcery.
In a separate incident in 2012, during a crackdown on an opposition political rally, police claimed the organizers threw a “cursed rooster” at officers raiding their offices.
Sorcery is not a criminal offence under the penal code in the Muslim-majority Maldives. However, under Islamic law, it does carry a six-month jail sentence. People across the archipelago widely practice traditional ceremonies, believing they can win favours and curse opponents.
(With inputs from agencies)