Criminal Court remands 63-year-old Feydhoo man over alleged sorcery

A 63-year-old Maldivian man has been arrested on charges of sorcery in a case linked to Addu City’s Feydhoo district.

According to the remand order issued by the Criminal Court on Friday, investigators have submitted sufficient evidence indicating his involvement in the alleged act. The evidence presented to the court includes a police intelligence report, an incident report, and a photographic report.

Based on the submissions, the court ordered him to be remanded in custody for 15 days.

Sorcery remains a deeply rooted and serious issue in the Maldives. The Friday sermon this week also focused on the subject, emphasising that engaging in witchcraft is among the gravest sins in Islam and constitutes an act of shirk.

Several individuals have been arrested in past sorcery-related investigations. However, authorities continue to face challenges due to the lack of specific laws and adequate resources to investigate such cases, despite Islamic Sharia prescribing a clear penalty for the offence.