Alleged witch doctor detained over woman’s death after ‘exorcism attempt’

AMMAN — Irbid police on Thursday arrested a 52-year-old man who allegedly murdered a woman after claiming to be a witch doctor exorcising evil spirits from her.

The suspect was arrested hours after a 42-year-old woman, a mother of four children, was rushed to Badeea Hospital — a maternity hospital — by “an unknown man”, a senior official said.

“The victim was declared dead on arrival and the hospital notified her family and decided to refer the body to the Irbid National Institute of Forensic Medicine,” the source told The Jordan Times.

A post-mortem examination conducted by a team of pathologists in Irbid, headed by Ali Shotar on Thursday, noticed ligature marks on the victim’s neck and determined that she was murdered, a medical source said.

“Police were immediately notified and summoned the victim’s family for questioning,” the medical source told The Jordan Times.

The family informed police that the woman was seeing a man who is believed to be a witchdoctor in her neighbourhood “because she wanted to protect herself from evil spirits”, the senior source said.

In his initial confession to police, the suspect claimed that he was helping exorcise evil spirits from the woman and that “she died in the process”.

The criminal court prosecutor was expected to start questioning the suspect on Thursday evening and “will also question the victim’s family to obtain more information about the victim”, the source added.

The suspect was ordered detained at a correctional and rehabilitation centre for 15 days pending further investigations and indictment.