A Zambian court has handed down a two-year prison sentence with hard labor to two men convicted of attempting to use witchcraft against the country’s president. The ruling, delivered in the capital, Lusaka, highlights a rare legal case centered on an attempt to harm a sitting head of state through traditional spiritual practices.
The two men—Jasten Mabulesse Candunde, a Mozambican national, and Leonard Phiri, a Zambian village chief—were arrested in December carrying what police described as charms and other ritual items, including a live chameleon. They were charged with professing knowledge of witchcraft and possessing charms, with prosecutors alleging their ultimate goal was to kill President Hakainde Hichilema.
“Enemies of All Zambians”
In a stern verdict, Magistrate Fine Mayambu sentenced the duo, declaring, “The motive of the crime was to kill the head of state.” He continued, “The convicts were not only enemies of the head of state but all Zambians.” The two men will serve their 24-month sentence from the date of their arrest.
The prosecution claimed that the men were hired by the brother of an opposition MP, Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda, who is currently on trial for a separate case involving robbery, attempted murder, and escaping custody. This detail adds a political layer to the already unusual nature of the crime, raising questions about the intersection of traditional beliefs and modern-day politics.
