Jailed former vice president Ahmed Adeeb this week made explosive allegations implicating President Abdulla Yameen in sorcery.

Yameen has previously been accused of being involved in sorcery because of the sudden removal of areca palm trees and the mysterious disappearance of a crocodile from the capital.

Adeeb, who is serving 33-years in prison for charges including terrorism, released two statements on Tuesday and Wednesday which were made public by his lawyer Moosa Siraj.

“During the 2013 presidential election, Yameen took me to a meeting with a Sri Lankan man and a monk,” said one statement. “The monk read Yameen’s palm for a long time and said he is a son of gods and he can get immense powers without depending on anyone.

“All he had to do is to be as brave and fierce as a lion and address the people furiously and frequently. His popularity and power will increase when the people are kept in fear,” one of the statements read.

Adeeb said he was given a list of things to do so that Yameen can “stay in power by following instructions from the monk.”

The list includes killing the crocodile at the children’s park in Malé, the removal of areca palm trees, relocating monuments, rebuilding the presidential jetty and killing the chickens in Aarah island.

Sorcery was also performed on a “fake bomb” created on the orders of Major General Ahmed Shiyam which was used on the presidential speedboat in 2015, Adeeb said.

“The sorcery on the fake bomb was done on 27 September 2015 to coincide with the blood moon,” he said, adding that a monk had also worked on the weapons cache found near Baa Hibalhidhoo island.

“The rusted guns, bullets and explosives in the military armoury were taken to Hibaldhidhoo, where a monk did black magic and sank them into the sea. General Shiyam reported it to police and a monk wearing military uniform was taken to remove the items.”

A fake bomb was also planted near Muleeaage (former presidential home) on the orders of Yameen to take a no-confidence vote against Adeeb and declare a state of emergency, the statement alleged.

Jailed ex-defence minister Mohamed Nazim was framed with a gun used by Adeeb after opening the Maldives National Defence Force shooting gallery, it read.

“Some MNDF men told me that General Shiyam was very angry that day when I was invited to open the military shooting gallery and participate in the shooting. The pistol I used that day was hidden in a plastic packet.”

The statement also claimed that Yameen “uses odd numbers on the advice from the monks” and the dates sentencing Nazim and ex-president Mohamed Nasheed were directed by a monk.

The president’s office spokesman Ibrahim Muaz was not responding to calls at the time of going to press. Nobody from the MNDF was available for comment.

 – Coconuts and Exorcism –

A third statement was issued Thursday, accusing Shiyam of carrying out a coup for Yameen after the February 1 Supreme Court order to release political prisoners.

“All the MNDF people who were forced to carry out all these atrocities for General Shiyam are now ready to open up and testify,” it read.

Belief in sorcery and black magic, known locally as fanditha and sihuru, is common in the Maldives.

Fanditha is allowed for licensed parties under a 1978 law. Sihuru, enlisting demons to harm others, while not illegal is unauthorised and considered taboo.

Sihuru-related arrests have been common in recent years, but suspects are often released without charge due to the complexity of legal action.

There has been a spike in sorcery-related incidents ahead of a presidential election due to be held on September 23, with four arrested from Kulhudhuffushi island last month.

A ‘cursed coconut’ was also removed from a grave in Malé as local media reported that there were frequent cases of strange items – such as corpse-like dolls – being buried in the cemetery.

Earlier this week Kulhudhuffushi council said it had received complaints about noise pollution because ruqya, an exorcism technique believed to counter sorcery, was being played on loudspeakers from the ruling party’s campaign hall.

Photo showing President Abdulla Yameen and Ahmed Adeeb