Quote from Alex bobby on September 16, 2025, 4:01 AM

Men Jailed for Witchcraft Murder Plot Against Zambia’s President

In a case that has gripped Zambia and sparked widespread debate about superstition, law, and politics, a Zambian court has sentenced two men to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema. The landmark ruling marks the first known prosecution in Zambia for trying to bewitch a sitting head of state, drawing intense public interest and reigniting conversations about the place of traditional beliefs in modern governance.

Arrests and Allegations

The two men — Zambian national Leonard Phiri and Mozambican national Jasten Mabulesse Candunde — were arrested in December 2024 after authorities discovered them carrying an assortment of charms and ritual objects, including a live chameleon. Prosecutors alleged that the pair had been hired by a fugitive former Member of Parliament to perform a deadly ritual intended to cause President Hichilema’s death.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed that Phiri and Candunde presented themselves as traditional healers but secretly plotted to use the chameleon in a ritual. According to testimony, Phiri allegedly demonstrated how pricking the chameleon’s tail and using it in a ritual would kill the target within five days.

Despite their insistence that they were legitimate healers and not sorcerers, the two men were convicted under Zambia’s Witchcraft Act — a law dating back to colonial times — on two counts: professing witchcraft and possessing witchcraft charms.

The Court’s Verdict

Delivering his judgment, Magistrate Fine Mayambu described the men as not just a threat to the president, but to the nation itself.

“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 magistrate said.

He stressed that the case was not about proving whether the accused actually possessed supernatural powers — something the law does not require — but about their representation of themselves as capable of carrying out acts of witchcraft.

“The question is not whether the accused are wizards or actually possess supernatural powers. It is whether they represented themselves as such, and the evidence clearly shows they did,” he explained.

The court handed down a two-year sentence for professing witchcraft and an additional six months for possessing charms. However, since the sentences will run concurrently, the men will serve only two years in prison, starting from their arrest in December 2024.

Pleas for Leniency Rejected

The defence lawyer, Agrippa Malando, asked the court to consider a fine instead of jail time, noting that his clients were first-time offenders and had shown remorse. But Magistrate Mayambu rejected the request, stating that the severity of their actions warranted imprisonment.

He further noted that while many Zambians — like people in many African societies — hold personal beliefs in witchcraft, the law exists to protect the public from fear, panic, and potential harm caused by those claiming to wield supernatural powers.

The Witchcraft Act: A Colonial-Era Law

The case has thrown a spotlight on Zambia’s Witchcraft Act, which dates back to 1914 during the colonial era. According to lawyer Dickson Jere, prosecutions under the law are extremely rare and are typically aimed at protecting vulnerable people — especially elderly women who are often accused of witchcraft and face mob violence in rural areas.

By criminalising the act of “professing witchcraft” rather than proving its existence, the law allows authorities to punish those who instill fear or threaten violence under the guise of sorcery.

Still, the use of the law against people accused of targeting a sitting president has surprised many observers, marking an unprecedented expansion of how the law has been applied.

Public Fascination and Controversy

The trial has captivated public attention in Zambia, where traditional beliefs and modern politics often intersect in complex ways. While President Hichilema himself has previously stated that he does not believe in witchcraft, the allegations have triggered an outpouring of public speculation and debate.

Some view the case as a necessary assertion of the rule of law, showing that even superstitious threats to the president’s life will be treated seriously. Others see it as a distraction from pressing political and economic issues, arguing that prosecuting alleged sorcery risks legitimising fear and superstition.

The case also comes against the backdrop of lingering tensions surrounding the death of former President Edgar Lungu, who passed away in South Africa in June 2024. Disputes over where to bury him have been marred by rumours of occult motives, with some alleging the government wants to control the burial for supernatural reasons — an accusation officials have flatly denied. Lungu’s body remains in a morgue months later due to the deadlock with his family, underscoring how belief in witchcraft continues to shape political narratives in the country.

A Modern Nation Wrestling With Old Beliefs

For Zambia, the trial of Phiri and Candunde represents more than a legal curiosity. It highlights the enduring influence of traditional spiritual beliefs in a rapidly modernising society. While many Zambians embrace science, technology, and modern medicine, belief in witchcraft still runs deep in rural areas — and even occasionally surfaces in urban politics.

Magistrate Mayambu’s comments during sentencing reflected this tension. He acknowledged that many people genuinely believe in witchcraft despite the lack of scientific evidence, but emphasised that the law’s purpose is to prevent fear, panic, and harm — not to validate or disprove spiritual claims.

Looking Ahead

As Phiri and Candunde begin their two-year prison term, their case will likely be remembered as a legal landmark — the first known attempt to prosecute an alleged witchcraft plot against a sitting president in Zambia.

Whether it serves as a deterrent or as fuel for further public fascination remains to be seen. For now, it stands as a striking reminder that age-old beliefs can still clash dramatically with modern law, even at the highest levels of power.

Final Thoughts

The jailing of two men for plotting to use witchcraft against President Hakainde Hichilema is more than just a sensational headline — it’s a window into the complex cultural landscape of modern Zambia, where ancient beliefs still intersect with contemporary politics and law. While many see the case as a necessary assertion of the rule of law, others worry that it risks reinforcing fear and superstition in a nation striving to move forward.

It also shines a light on the challenges of applying century-old colonial legislation in today’s democratic context, especially when such laws deal with practices rooted more in cultural tradition than provable fact. As Zambia balances respect for its heritage with the demands of a modern legal system, this case will likely stand as a cautionary example of how sensitive and nuanced such issues must be handled.

In the end, it underscores a simple truth: modernisation does not erase belief — and true progress requires finding ways to coexist with it without letting it endanger justice, governance, or public trust.

Conclusion

The conviction of Leonard Phiri and Jasten Mabulesse Candunde marks a historic and unsettling moment in Zambia’s legal history — the first time anyone has been jailed for attempting to use witchcraft against a sitting president. While the court made clear that the case was not about proving the existence of supernatural powers, it underscored the law’s role in protecting society from fear and harm caused by those claiming to wield them.

This unusual case highlights the enduring tension between traditional beliefs and modern governance in Zambia, showing how deeply cultural notions of witchcraft still influence public life and even high-level politics. It also raises important questions about how colonial-era laws should function in a contemporary democracy, where the line between cultural tradition and criminal conduct can be difficult to draw.

Ultimately, the ruling serves as a reminder that while Zambia continues to modernise, the powerful hold of age-old beliefs remains woven into the fabric of its society — and that the justice system must tread carefully when those beliefs collide with national security and the rule of law.

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Two men have been jailed in Zambia for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema, in the first case of its kind under the country’s colonial-era Witchcraft Act.