Two men have been sentenced to prison in Zambia after being convicted of plotting to use witchcraft to assassinate the country’s president, Hakainde Hichilema.
Leonard Phiri, a village chief, and Jasten Mabulesse Candunde, a Mozambican national, were arrested in December when a cleaner reported hearing unusual noises. Authorities said they were found carrying a live chameleon and other “charms,” including a red cloth, an unidentified white powder, and an animal’s tail.
Delivering his ruling at a court in Lusaka, Magistrate Fine Mayambu declared: “The motive of the crime was to kill the head of state. The convicts were not only enemies of the head of state but all Zambians”. Both men were sentenced to two years in prison with hard labour.
Prosecutors alleged the pair had been recruited by the brother of opposition MP Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda, who himself faces charges of robbery, attempted murder, and escaping custody.
The conviction was based on a colonial-era law that criminalises witchcraft, legislation long criticised by rights groups. The case comes at a sensitive political moment for Hichilema, who is facing growing accusations of using the courts to silence dissent.
Human Rights Watch, in its 2024 annual report, accused his administration of displaying “authoritarian tendencies,” saying journalists, youth activists, and opposition leaders have been harassed and intimidated for criticising the government.
Analysts have also raised concerns about Hichilema’s efforts to consolidate power ahead of national elections next year, including appointing allies to the election commission and altering constitutional rules.
Adding to tensions, a dispute continues over the burial of former president and Hichilema’s rival, Edgar Lungu, who died in South Africa in June. His family has opposed plans for a state funeral, insisting Lungu did not want Hichilema to attend.
A South African court is currently weighing whether the family can appeal a decision ordering the body to be returned to Zambia.
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