The main opposition leader in Seychelles, Patrick Herminie, has been charged with witchcraft, along with seven others.
Police say the case is related to the discovery of two bodies exhumed from a cemetery on the island of Mahé.
He has denied the charges, telling local media that his prosecution is a “political show” to taint his image.
Mr Herminie plans to run in the 2025 presidential election under the banner of the United Seychelles Party (USP).
A magistrates court on Monday freed him and six of his Seychellois co-accused on bail of 30,000 Seychelles rupees ($2,100; £1,745), but ruled that a Tanzanian suspect should stay in custody until the next court appearance in November.
Mr Herminie and his co-accused face several charges, including possession of items intended for use in witchcraft, conspiracy to perform witchcraft and procuring services related to witchcraft, according to local media reports.
Prosecutors allege that the opposition leader’s name appeared in a WhatsApp message between a Seychellois national and the Tanzanian suspect, who was arrested on 21 September at the main international airport.
The Tanzanian was found with items related to witchcraft, including stones, black wooden artefacts, small bottles of brownish liquid, a collection of powders, and documents with strange language and “demonic and satanic” symbols, they said.
Source: bbc.com
