The trio, aged 65, 61 and 42 respectively, all denied an attempted fraud charge read to them by Presiding Judge Hamdi Abul Kheir. One of them is also charged with illegal stay in the country. Defence lawyer Saeed Al Barq of Saeed Al Barq Firm for Advocacy and Legal Consultancy, is expected to question witnesses and present his arguments when the court reconvenes later this month.

The case dates back to the end of June when the Dubai Police department specialised in fighting economic crimes learnt about three men allegedly practising witchcraft and sorcery. The police received information that the men claimed ability to make millions of dollars pour down from the sky and were looking for someone who would provide them with $10,000 which they would use in black magic to let the sky drop $18 million. The police assigned an undercover officer to contact the suspects. The undercover officer went to the Iranian’s house in Muraqqabat with the required sum of money belonging to the police.

In the meantime, the police surrounded the flat. It was about 8pm. One of the African defendants alleged he had to enter a room with the $10,000. He claimed he would put it in a box with which the millions of dollars would come down from the ceiling. He claimed that the ceiling was directly connected to the sky. At that point, the undercover officer signalled to the police team who raided the place.

The police arrested the defendants including the one who took the police money and entered a room. He hurled the money at the cops saying he did not have anything to do with it. The police seized from the Iranian defendant two yellow papers with talismans and blood stains.

They also seized chicken feathers, a pair of scissors, a round-shaped stone, small bottle with a yellow substance and a bag with a wooden substance cut into small pieces. The police also seized the plastic box the defendants wanted to use in their sorcery practice to ‘double the money’. It contained a faded coloured piece of cloth.