Maldives authorities arrested two serving ministers for allegedly performing black magic on President Mohamed Muizzu.
Shamnaz Saleem, State Minister at the Environment Ministry, and her ex-husband Adam Rameez, a minister at the President’s Office, were detained along with two others, according to a local media outlet.
While the police confirmed the arrests, they did not disclose specific reasons or details concerning the allegations of black magic against President Muizzu. Saleem and Rameez were remanded in custody, and Saleem was suspended from her position.
The couple previously collaborated with President Muizzu during his tenure as the mayor of Male City. Saleem was initially appointed state minister at the president’s official residence but was later transferred to the Environment Ministry last year.
Her husband, Rameez, a close aide to the president, has been notably absent from mainstream politics in recent months.
The Maldivian government and the President’s Office have yet to issue an official statement.
Under Maldivian law, while sorcery is not classified as a criminal offence, it is punishable by up to six months in jail under Islamic Law.
It is worth noting that President Muizzu’s party, the People’s National Congress, recently achieved a significant victory, securing a two-thirds majority in the assembly elections against a pro-Indian rival.
Muizzu, a 45-year-old British-educated civil engineer and former construction minister under Abdulla Yameen, was considered an unlikely presidential candidate before his election in September. His electoral successes were largely attributed to a campaign focused on reducing India’s influence in the Maldives.
