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Zambian authorities have arrested two men accused of attempting to harm President Hakainde Hichilema using witchcraft, police announced on Friday.
Jasten Mabulesse Candunde and Leonard Phiri were detained in the capital, Lusaka, after allegedly being hired to carry out the plot. According to the police statement, their “purported mission was to use charms to harm” the president.
The arrests highlight the ongoing belief in and fear of witchcraft in Zambia, a country where such practices are taken seriously by many.
The suspects were reportedly hired by Nelson Banda, the younger brother of independent MP Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda. Nelson Banda is said to be on the run.
The police also revealed that the suspects were found with “assorted charms,” including a live chameleon. They allegedly admitted to being promised over 2 million Zambian kwacha (£58,000; $73,000) for the task.
Emmanuel Banda, the MP linked to the case, has faced his own legal troubles. Last month, he was reportedly arrested in Zimbabwe over robbery charges, which he denies, but has since gone missing. He is also accused of escaping custody in August while awaiting a court appearance.
The opposition Patriotic Front (PF) party, previously led by former President Edgar Lungu, claims that the charges against Banda are politically motivated. Banda, an independent MP since 2021, was formerly associated with Lungu, who lost the presidency to Hichilema in the same year.
Candunde and Phiri have been charged under Zambia’s Witchcraft Act for “possession of charms,” “professing knowledge of witchcraft,” and “cruelty to wild animals.”
The suspects remain in custody and are expected to appear in court soon, though an exact date has not been provided. Neither has commented publicly on the allegations.
