A Zambian court has sentenced two men, Leonard Phiri of Zambia and Jasten Mabulesse Candunde of Mozambique, to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema. The men were found guilty under the Witchcraft Act, a colonial-era law enacted in 1914, after being apprehended in December 2024 with a collection of ritual items, including a live chameleon, an animal tail, and several bottles of concoctions allegedly meant for a spell to harm the president.
The case attracted considerable attention as it is the first known prosecution in Zambia involving an attempt to use witchcraft against a sitting head of state. Magistrate Fine Mayambu, who presided over the case, emphasised the severity of the offence, describing the accused as “enemies of all Zambians” due to their plot. The magistrate noted the potential political, economic, and social harm such a plot could have caused if successful.
The prosecution outlined that Phiri and Candunde were allegedly hired by a fugitive former member of parliament to carry out the witchcraft act. During the court proceedings, the men maintained that they were traditional healers, but their defence was not accepted by the court. According to the judge, the accused admitted to owning the charms.
The court sentenced the men to serve two years in prison for “professing” witchcraft and an additional six months for possession of charms. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, making the total imprisonment term two years, effective retroactively from their arrest date in December 2024.
The sentencing reflects the ongoing cultural tensions in Zambia, where belief in witchcraft remains widespread. A 2018 study by the Zambia Law Development Commission highlighted that approximately 79% of Zambians believe in witchcraft, despite the country’s official Christian religious affiliations. President Hichilema himself has publicly expressed scepticism about the existence of witchcraft but has not commented on this particular legal case.
The case also emerges in the context of heightened political and social discourse in Zambia revolving around traditional beliefs. Recent debates, including disputes over the burial arrangements of former President Edgar Lungu, have been charged with accusations involving occult practices, further illustrating the persistence of these deep-rooted cultural elements within the nation.