The Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Hai'a) on Saturday arrested a young man who swindled women out of thousands of riyals by claiming to possess skills in magic that enabled him to win over hearts, divide partnerships and resolve family issues. The Hai'a arrested the man after setting up a sting in which a lady contracted the sorcerer's services for SR60,000 to perform magic on her husband, with SR10,000 paid up front. The woman was asked to provide certain items necessary for the spell and the man was arrested when he went – dressed as a woman in order to avoid detection – to collect them from her house.
