Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate for Feydhoo constituency Mohamed Nihad – who lost the election to Progressive Party of Maldives candidate Ibrahim Didi – has today told the High Court that his opponent used black magic to win the election.
According to local media present at the High Court hearing held Thursday, the MDP candidate claimed that Didi buried coconuts that were suspected to be cursed by using black magic, in different areas of Feydhoo.
Nihad also alleged that the same type of cursed coconuts were buried inside his house and near to the polling station.
He also alleged that Didi went near the polling station during voting hours and campaigned there.
Nihad told the High Court that Ibrahim Didi had bribed people and campaigned after official hours, and that he had filed complaints with the anti-corruption and elections commissions without receiving a response.
Elections Commission lawyer Hussein Siraj told the court that first it should be determined whether the coconut was really cursed or not and to what extent the curse had affected the result of the election.
Ibrahim Didi’s lawyer also spoke in the court and denied all the charges, claiming that Nihad was attempting to destroy his good name.