LUSAKA—A Zambian court has sentenced two men to two years in prison after finding them guilty of attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema. The ruling, delivered by magistrate Fine Mayambu, has drawn widespread public attention as it marks the first recorded trial in Zambia involving an alleged attempt on a sitting president’s life through witchcraft. The convicts, Leonard Phiri, a Zambian national, and Jasten Mabulesse Candunde, a Mozambican, were arrested in December after authorities discovered them in possession of various charms believed to be linked to ritual practices. Among the items seized was a live chameleon, which prosecutors argued was intended for use in casting harmful spells against the president. In his ruling, Magistrate Mayambu emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating, “It is my considered view that the convicts were not only the enemy of the head of state but were also enemies of all Zambians.” The court found that their actions violated the country’s Witchcraft Act, a colonial-era law that criminalizes the use or attempted use of supernatural powers to cause harm. The unusual trial has sparked national debate, highlighting both the persistence of traditional beliefs and the tensions between customary practices and modern legal systems. Witchcraft-related cases remain relatively common in Zambia’s lower courts, though they are rarely tied to political figures, let alone the president. President Hichilema, who came to power in 2021 on a platform of reform and economic renewal, has not commented directly on the case. However, government officials have welcomed the ruling as a warning against threats to national leadership, whether physical or supernatural. Phiri and Candunde will serve their two-year sentences in a Zambian prison, with authorities stressing that the verdict underscores the seriousness with which the justice system treats any perceived threat to the country’s stability and security.
Zambian Court Jails Two Men for Attempting to Use Witchcraft Against President Hichilema
