Maldives Police Service has released two out of the four suspects arrested following allegations of sorcery in Kulhudhuffushi island of Haa Dhaalu atoll in mid-August.
Arrested on the 16th of August were a senior admin officer Hussain Ali of Kulhudhuffushi council as well as its permanent secretary Ismail Ibrahim. The arrest of two more locals followed on the 17th of August, under the same accusations.
While the remand of all four had been extended previously, released on Saturday were Secretary Ismail along with one out of the two locals.
The two were released upon having presented them to court for their remand hearing on Saturday, while the remaining two had been remanded by an additional 10 days.
The council members were initially remanded by eight days, with the other two being remanded by five days.
RaajjeMV understands that the phones of the council members had been confiscated prior to their arrest which was following a court order from the island’s Magistrate Court at around 10:54 p.m. on the 15th of August.
The court order states that the two were being taken under police custody following allegations of sorcery against the two. As such, the two are accused of practicing sorcery to bring Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) into power in the Presidential Election slated for the 23rd of September and also for owning tools and material that are used to practice sorcery. The order also gives officers of the MPS full authority to seize said items and bring them into police custody.
