Woman charged with possessing sorcery materials

Aya Al Deeb, Staff Reporter

The Abu Dhabi Appellate Court looked into the case of an African woman charged with possessing witchcraft and sorcery materials, overstaying in the country, and employing a woman as a maid though she was on another person’s sponsorship.

During the session, the suspect denied all the charges saying that the tipoff, by her ex-husband, was malicious, adding that she did not have a job and devoted herself to raising her children. She also added she did not have any maid.

The suspect claimed innocence and demanded the cancellation of the deportation, noting that her youngest son was with her in prison.

The court adjourned that case for a ruling to Tuesday, Jan 7.

Recently, Abu Dhabi Police arrested a European magician red-handed while he was practising witchcraft and sorcery. The suspect reportedly deluded his victims of his ability to solve their psychological and family problems and alleviate the burden and pressures of daily life.

Brigadier Omran Ahmed Al Mazroui, Director of the Criminal Investigations Directorate, explained the event dates back to an earlier time when the Directorate received information from secret sources alerting that a person practised witchcraft and sorcery in his apartment in the city of Abu Dhabi, where he met victims and communicated with them through social media.

Brigadier General Mohammed Suhail Al Rashdi, Director of the Criminal Security Sector, indicated that, instantly on receiving the tipoff, a investigation team was formed to apprehend the sorcerer, and the detectives set up a plan to arrest him red-handed. Suhail affirmed the Abu Dhabi Police’s keenness to confront those practising such acts, follow up on suspicious activities, prosecute them, and take legal measures against them.

Recently, the Dubai Criminal Court sentenced three Asians to three months in jail followed by deportation for exploiting the security gap in a government organisation’s website, and using their authority in transactions to renew a number of trade licences without payment of an estimated Dhs6 million fees.