Shamnaz, Sana released from police custody

Former State Minister at the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Fathimath Shamnaz Ali Saleem and her sibling Hawwa Sana Ali Saleem have been released from police custody.

They were released from custody on Saturday.

Earlier, the Maldives Police Service (MPS) revealed that the former state minister was arrested under accusations of performing black magic to “get closer” to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. The arrest was made at her residence, where officers conducted a raid and confiscated several items.

Shamnaz’s remand was recently extended. She was arrested alongside two others on June 23 in connection with a case being probed by the police.

Arrested in connection with the case were Shamnaz, her sibling Sana and the alleged “black magician”.

Her remand was extended by an additional five days earlier. The Criminal Court conducted the remand hearing behind closed doors.

They were initially remanded for a seven-day period upon being presented to the Hulhumalé Magistrate Court.

On Saturday, MPS revealed that they were released as the court didn’t deem it necessary to remand them.

However, further investigations are currently underway in connection with the case.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has since confirmed that there was no trace of black magic on the items confiscated from the former state minister’s residence.

Officers raided her residence and confiscated several items earlier including a pendant, a small statue believed to have been a toy and strands of hair found inside her room.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, the former state minister’s lawyer Ali Shah revealed that the Ministry of Islamic Affairs had examined whether there were any traces of black magic in the items seized from Shamnaz's house.

Shah cited officials at the Islamic Ministry having revealed that engraved on the pendant was Ayatul Kursi and there was nothing linked to black magic on the “statue” toy either.

Adding that the officers confiscated a statue used in children’s play, Shah noted that there were similar other items in the house. Nothing was found to be engraved on these toys.

While the police also took some strands of hair found inside the former state minister’s sibling Sana’s room who is also accused of being involved in the case, the lawyer asked if it was really that unusual to find strands of hair where a woman lives.

Shamnaz was sacked from her position as State Minister at the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy on June 26.