Adhaalath Party has called on authorities and state institutions to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations of sorcery pinned on incumbent President Abdulla Yameen by his second Vice President, now jailed Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor and to reveal the truth behind it to the citizens.

A press release issued by the opposition party states that the party believes it is a responsibility entitled to state’s investigative institutions to reveal the truth behind such allegations on a presidential candidate as election day approaches. The statement further reads that if transparent investigations into the matter proves President Yameen guilty of said accusations, the party believes he must be removed from office immediately, and that he must not be given the opportunity to contest for presidency until he publicly accepts his actions and apologizes for it.

The party went on to assert that allowing someone who has been accused of such things to run for presidency is not acceptable under the law and constitution, adding that the legitimacy of Muslims voting to elect such a man as their leader, will be deeply questioned.

AP’s statement highlights that if the allegations pinned on the President are in fact, accurate, he does not qualify to be elected as President of the Maldives under the chapter that comes under qualifications for election as President, in the constitution, As such, article 109 (b) of the constitution reads that a person elected as President shall be a Muslim and a follower of a Sunni school of Islam.

The party stressed that while sorcery is forbidden in the religion, it is done with the aid of supernatural powers other than Almighty Allah, and as such, a man who is engaged in the sinful acts of sorcery is not appropriate to lead a country. AP called on authorities to follow through the criminal procedure act of the Maldives and follow prosecution accordingly, if found guilty.

“Being involved with a sorcerer, following through their orders or being engaged in acts of sorcery in any way are one of the seven destructive sins forbidden in Islam. This is also an act of Shirk (the sin of practicing idolatry or polytheism)” reads the statement.