A childless woman was cheated out of 60,000 dirhams ($16,335) by a 'witch doctor' who promised her fertility using sorcery, an Abu Dhabi court has heard.

The Arab defendant - who claimed to be offering services like treating jinns, infertility and fixing rocky relationships - is on trial at Al Ain Criminal Court of First Instance for practicing sorcery and defrauding the woman.

Official court documents stated that after spending six years in marriage without having children, and having tried many fertility treatments, the woman's friend advised her to seek the help from the 'witch doctor'.

The pair contacted the Arab man who agreed to give 'treatment' to the woman at her friend's house in Al Ain.

As part of the 'treatment', the defendant smeared some powder-like substance on her face and body. He also gave her a bottle of "special water" and asked her to shower with it at her home.

"The man gave the woman an egg and asked her to break it at the main door of their home on a Saturday during dawn," said prosecutors.

He had told her to take the eggshell back to him. "He claimed that after he buries the shell at a cemetery, the woman would be able to conceive."

The woman's husband secretly followed her when she woke up during the night and caught her as she was breaking the egg at the main door of their house.

The husband lodged a complaint with Al Ain Police after his wife told him that the defendant had taken 60,000 dirhams ($16,335) from her for the 'treatment'.

The police then arrested the defendant, who confessed to practicing witchcraft. He said most of his customers were women and that he wasn't taking money by force from anyone. However, in court, he denied the charges.

This article has been adapted from its original source.