Maldivian Minister arrested for performing black magic on President Muizzu

On Sunday, June 23rd, 2024, Maldives State Minister at the Environment Ministry, Faithmath Shammaz Ali Saleem, along with her ex-husband Adam Rameez, a minister at the President's office, and two others were arrested for allegedly performing black magic on President Muizzu.

"Shamnaz, alongside two other individuals, was arrested on Sunday. All three of them have been remanded in custody for seven days. She was suspended from her post on Wednesday as per the Environment Ministry," reported news portal Maldives' Sun, further stating that the government has also suspended Rameez along with Shamnaz.

Arrest and Detention of the Accused in Black Magic Case

After the event was made public on June 23, the four accused were placed under detention for seven days. According to the local media outlet Sun, Shamnaz was suspended on Wednesday from his position as state minister at the Ministry of the Environment. The motives and the purported use of black magic have not been made public by the authorities.

"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' Sun.

"However, he has been absent from the public light in the past five months or so," it added.

Although sorcery is not illegal in the Maldives, it is punishable by a six-month jail term in Islamic law. The inquiry is ongoing, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Ahmed Shifan, the main police spokeswoman. Shamnaz is no longer on the list of political appointees maintained on the website of the Maldives Environment Ministry. The list of "former" political appointees now includes her name.

Her role is crucial in a country facing a severe climate emergency; UN environmental experts predict that by the end of the century, rising sea levels might render the country all but uninhabitable. In the Maldives, where Muslims make up the majority, sorcery is punishable by Islamic law with a six-month jail term, although it is not considered a criminal offense.

The President's office and the Maldives government have not released any formal statements about the matter. The police acknowledged that they were looking into a case involving Shamnaz and two other people, but they did not formally confirm that they had been detained for using "black magic."

Traditional rites are commonly performed by people throughout the archipelago in the belief that they can curse enemies and obtain favors. Following a protracted police investigation, the Mihaaru news site revealed this week that a 62-year-old lady was fatally stabbed by three neighbors on Manadhoo in April 2023 after being suspected of doing black magic rites.

Authorities in the Maldives intervened at an opposition political protest in 2012, alleging that organizers had thrown a "cursed rooster" at policemen conducting an office raid. Across the Maldivian archipelago, traditional rituals and beliefs in black magic are regularly observed. On the other hand, it looks like this arrest case—in which two ministers are currently serving—is the first of its kind in the Maldives. They are accused of utilizing witchcraft against the president.

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