Zambian Court Jails Two Men for Witchcraft Plot to Kill President Hichilema

Story written by Okafor Joseph September 16,2025

A Zambian court has sentenced two men to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema, in a landmark ruling under the country’s colonial-era Witchcraft Act.

Magistrate Fine Mayambu delivered the verdict in Lusaka, convicting Leonard Phiri, a Zambian, and Jasten Mabulesse Candunde, a Mozambican national. The men were arrested in December 2024 with charms in their possession, including a live chameleon believed to be central to their ritual.

“It is my considered view that the convicts were not only enemies of the head of state but also enemies of all Zambians,” Magistrate Mayambu declared while issuing the sentence.

Details of the Case

Prosecutors said the men were hired by a fugitive ex-lawmaker to bewitch President Hichilema. During investigations, Phiri reportedly demonstrated how pricking a chameleon’s tail could cause death within five days.

Both men claimed they were traditional healers, but the court ruled that their own demonstrations and admissions were proof of practising witchcraft.

They were convicted on two counts: professing witchcraft and possessing charms. Though one charge carried a six-month sentence, the terms will run concurrently, meaning they will serve two years in total from the date of arrest.

Court’s Position on Witchcraft Law

While Magistrate Mayambu acknowledged that witchcraft has no scientific basis, he stressed that belief in it remains widespread in Zambia and across Africa. The Witchcraft Act, first enacted in 1914 during colonial rule, was designed to protect communities from fear and harm caused by claims of supernatural powers.

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

Broader Implications

Legal experts noted that prosecutions under the Witchcraft Act are rare. Lawyer Dickson Jere explained that although the law is seldom enforced, it has historically helped shield vulnerable groups—such as elderly women—from mob attacks sparked by sorcery accusations.

President Hichilema, who has repeatedly dismissed witchcraft beliefs, has not commented on the case.

The ruling comes at a time when witchcraft remains deeply entwined with Zambia’s politics and culture. A recent dispute over the burial of former President Edgar Lungu, whose body still lies in South Africa, has further fuelled speculation of “occult” motives—allegations the government strongly denies.

Despite modernisation, witchcraft continues to shape national debates in Zambia, reflecting the tension between tradition, law, and governance.