Two men in Zambia have been arrested on suspicion of being ‘witchdoctors’ hired to cast spells on President Hakainde Hichilema.
The men, identified as Jasten Mabulesse Candunde and Leonard Phiri, were apprehended by authorities in Lusaka, the nation’s capital.
According to police reports, the duo had been tasked with using witchcraft in an attempt to harm the president.
“Their purported mission was to use charms to harm” President Hakainde Hichilema, said the police statement, released on Friday.
Witchcraft beliefs remain prevalent in Zambia, with many living in fear of its influence.
In a recent case, police in the capital, Lusaka, arrested Jasten Mabulesse Candunde and Leonard Phiri, who are accused of being hired as witchdoctors to target the president. Authorities claim the pair was hired by Nelson Banda, the brother of opposition MP Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda.
MP Banda, who was arrested last month in Zimbabwe on robbery charges he denies, has also been accused of fleeing custody in August while awaiting a court appearance. Despite these allegations, Banda has not been seen publicly.
His political party, the Patriotic Front (PF), led by former President Edgar Lungu, has suggested that the charges are politically motivated. Banda, an independent MP since 2021, was previously aligned with Lungu, who lost the presidency to Hakainde Hichilema that same year.
The police announced that Nelson Banda is currently evading capture, and the two men arrested, Candunde and Phiri, are facing charges under Zambia’s Witchcraft Act, including “possession of charms,” “professing knowledge of witchcraft,” and “cruelty to wild animals.” Police discovered an assortment of charms, including a live chameleon, in the suspects’ possession.
The men claimed they were promised over 2 million Zambian kwacha (about $73,000) for their mission. The two suspects remain in custody and will soon face court proceedings, although a specific hearing date has not yet been set.
They have yet to publicly comment on the accusations.
