The Lower Criminal Court sentenced two defendants to three years imprisonment with immediate effect and a fine of BD5,000 each. The defendants were found guilty of fraud and practising sorcery and witchcraft for profit.
According to court files, the defendants defrauded a woman after one of them claimed to be a religious scholar with special abilities, promising to solve the victim’s problems in her life, marriage, and relationship with her children.
Through this deceitful scheme, the defendant managed to acquire financial gains from the victim, assisted by the other defendant. Based on the evidence gathered, proving the defendants’ guilt, and considering their prior conviction in a similar case, the Public Prosecution ordered their detention and referral to court.
The court, after reviewing the case, found the defendants guilty and imposed the aforementioned sentence. The duo were earlier convicted in a similar case, deceiving a Bahraini couple who handed them cash exceeding BD100,000.
The first accused received three years in prison, while his accomplice was handed down two years behind bars for this crime. The first accused employed fraudulent and sorcery methods to deceive the couple, who believed he was an experienced spiritual healer. The victims handed over the wife’s jewelry, two cars, a piece of land, and cash exceeding BD100,000.
The husband was initially skeptical, but after undergoing neck surgery, the accused’s oil and honey treatment appeared to have positive effects, leading the couple to trust him.
The victims further stated that the accused informed them that their daughter was under the influence of a harmful entity and offered to treat her. Additionally, he claimed ownership of a piece of land in Diraz, which he alleged had been usurped and affected by magic.
The accused suggested that transferring the land into his name and then back to the victims would break the supposed magic. The victims complied and prepared a land sale contract in the accused’s favour.
Later, the accused informed the wife that her gold jewelry was infused with witchcraft and required treatment. He claimed that the jewelry could not be sold until the magic was removed.
The accused took possession of the gold, valued at BD7,000, and failed to return it. He also alleged that the wife’s colleagues had performed magic against her, extorting various sums of money to break the spells.
The second accused was sent by the first accused to collect these sums, ranging from BD50 to BD300. The fraudulent activities continued, with the total amount extorted from the victims exceeding BD100,000.
