Gang of con artists jailed for six months in UAE for claiming to practise sorcery

Men said they were possessed by jinn who could heal people

Seven men have been jailed after claiming to cure disease with sorcery. Photo: Supplied

Seven men were sentenced to six months in jail by the UAE's criminal court system for claiming to be able to cure diseases with sorcery.

They claimed to be possessed by jinns, referred to as genies in western culture, who gave them powers to treat people.

They were fined a total of Dh50,000 in addition to the jail term.

The UAE prosecutors said the seven, whose names and nationalities were not disclosed, were running a scam using what they claimed was witchcraft material.

A victim reported the defendants, who operated at an undisclosed location.

“One accused told the victim that there is a jinn inside him. He claimed that the jinn is more than 400 years old and is the king of all jinn,” the UAE prosecutors said in a statement.

“The accused said that God chose him alone to be possessed by the jinn in order to treat people.”

The other defendants also claimed that they had jinns inside them.

The authority said that claiming to practise sorcery was a crime.

UAE residents were also encouraged to report any suspicious activities, stay cautious and be alert to the threats posed by scammers.

Claiming to be able to use sorcery or magic is prohibited by the UAE Penal Code of 2021, and contrary to Sharia.