A strange but true story. The year is 2025.
Belief in witchcraft is prevalent in all walks of life – but that doesn’t mean that everyone believes in witchcraft.
An old law has been dusted off, the Witchcraft Act of 1914, to prosecute the accused.
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Men jailed for witchcraft murder plot against Zambia’s president Hakainde Hichilema
Published: September 15, 2025
By: Kennedy Gondwe, Lusaka – BBC
A court in Zambia has sentenced two men to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema.
Zambian Leonard Phiri and Mozambican Jasten Mabulesse Candunde were convicted under the Witchcraft Act after being arrested in December with charms in their possession, including a live chameleon.
“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,” magistrate Fine Mayambu said in his ruling.
The case has been closely followed in Zambia, as this was the first time anyone was put on trial for attempting to use witchcraft against a president.
The prosecution alleged that Phiri and Candunde were hired by a fugitive former MP to bewitch Hichilema.
Despite their insistence that they were bona fide traditional healers, the court found them guilty on two counts under the Witchcraft Act.
“The two accepted ownership of the charms. Phiri further demonstrated that the chameleon’s tail, once pricked and used in the ritual, would cause death to occur within five days,” Magistrate Mayambu said.
The lawyer for the two men, Agrippa Malando, said his clients pleaded for leniency as they were first-time offenders.
He urged the court to fine them, but the request was rejected.
Magistrate Mayambu noted that many people in Zambia, like in other African countries, believed in witchcraft, even though it was not scientifically proven.
The law was designed to protect society from fear and harm caused by those claiming to have the power to carry out acts of witchcraft, he said.
“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,” Magistrate Mayambu said.
In addition to the two-year sentence they were given for “professing” witchcraft, the men were sentenced to six months in prison for possessing charms.
As the sentences will run concurrently, they will serve only two years in prison, effective from the date of their arrest in December 2024.
Hichilema has previously said he does not believe in witchcraft. He has not commented on the case.
Lawyer Dickson Jere told the BBC that the Witchcraft Act was passed during colonial rule in 1914.
He said people were “very rarely” prosecuted for practising witchcraft, but it helped protect elderly women who faced mob justice in villages after being accused of bewitching someone and causing their death.
Witchcraft has also featured prominently in conversations over the protracted dispute between the government and the family of the late President Edgar Lungu over his funeral.
Some people believe that the government’s insistence that he should be buried in Zambia, contrary to his family’s wishes, may be for “occult reasons”.
The government has denied the accusation.
Lungu died in South Africa in June, and his body is still in a morgue there because of the failure to reach agreement over his burial.
Source: Men jailed for witchcraft murder plot against Zambia’s president
More on the same topic:
Zambia, President’s assassination attempt: convicted of witchcraft and possession of talismans
Published: September 15, 2025
By: © Agenzia Nova
A Zambian court has sentenced two men to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to kill the president. Hakainde Hichilema. The Zambian Leonard Phiri and Mozambican Jasten Mabulesse Candunde They were convicted under the Witchcraft Act after being arrested in December while in possession of amulets, including a live chameleon.
“I firmly believe that the convicts were not only enemies of the head of state, but also enemies of all Zambians,” the magistrate said. End of Mayambu in his ruling. The case was closely followed in Zambia, as it was the first time anyone was tried for attempting to use witchcraft against a president. The prosecution alleged that Phiri and Candunde were hired by a fugitive former parliamentarian to bewitch Hichilema.
Despite their insistence that they were authentic traditional healers, the court found Phiri and Candunde guilty of two counts under the Witchcraft Act. “The two accepted ownership of the amulets. Phiri also demonstrated that the chameleon’s tail, once stung and used in the ritual, would cause death within five days,” Magistrate Mayambu said in reading the sentence.
The lawyer of the two men, Agrippa Malando, He said his clients requested leniency since it was their first offense and asked the court to fine them, but the request was denied. Magistrate Mayambu noted that many people in Zambia, as in other African countries, believe in witchcraft, even if it is not scientifically proven. The law was designed to protect society from the fear and harm caused by those who claim to have the power to perform acts of witchcraft, he said. “The question is not whether the defendants are magicians or actually possess supernatural powers. The question is whether they presented themselves as such, and the evidence clearly shows that they do,” the magistrate stated. In addition to the two-year sentence for “professing” witchcraft, the men were sentenced to six months in prison for possession of talismans. Because the sentences will run concurrently, the two will only serve two years in prison, starting from the date of their arrest in December 2024.
Witchcraft has also been at the centre of discussions surrounding the long-running dispute between the government and the family of the late president. Edgar Lungu regarding his funeral. Some believe the government’s insistence that he be buried in Zambia, contrary to his family’s wishes, may have been motivated by “hidden motives.” The government, however, has denied these accusations. Lungu died in South Africa in June, and his body remains in a morgue there because no agreement on his burial has been reached.
Source: Zambia, President’s assassination attempt: convicted of witchcraft and possession of talismans
And:
Zambia Jails Two Men For Chameleon Witchcraft Plot Against President Hakainde Hichilema
Published: September 15, 2925
By: Timothy Ndoro – iHarare – Zimbabwe
Two Convicted In Alleged Witchcraft Plot To Kill President Hichilema
A court in Zambia has sentenced two men to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema. The men, Leonard Phiri from Zambia and Jasten Mabulesse Candunde from Mozambique, were convicted under the Witchcraft Act after being found with charms, including a live chameleon.
Court ruling
Magistrate Fine Mayambu delivered a strong ruling in Lusaka, saying the pair posed a threat not only to the president but also to the nation.
He declared:
“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 men were sentenced to two years with hard labour, though their sentences will run concurrently, meaning they will serve two years effective from their arrest in December 2024.
Phiri, identified as a village chief, and Candunde claimed to be traditional healers. However, evidence presented in court showed they accepted ownership of the charms.
Magistrate Mayambu noted:
“Phiri further demonstrated that the chameleon’s tail, once pricked and used in the ritual, would cause death to occur within five days.”
Prosecution’s case
The prosecution argued the two men had been hired to target President Hichilema. According to reports from The Guardian on 15 September 2025, authorities said they were discovered after a cleaner reported “strange noises”. They were later found in possession of a live chameleon, red cloth, white powder, and an animal’s tail.
Prosecutors alleged that the hiring was linked to Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda, an opposition MP facing trial for robbery, attempted murder, and escaping custody. His brother was named as the one who hired Phiri and Candunde.
Despite their lawyer, Agrippa Malando, pleading for leniency and suggesting a fine, the court rejected the request. Magistrate Mayambu said the law existed to protect society from fear and harm caused by people claiming to have supernatural powers.
He explained:
“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.”
Wider context
The case has attracted significant attention as it is the first recorded trial in Zambia for attempting to use witchcraft against a sitting president.
President Hichilema, who has publicly stated that he does not believe in witchcraft, has not commented on the matter. In August 2025, he told journalist Martine Dennis on the Africa Here & Now podcast:
“Personally I don’t believe in witchcraft, never believed in witchcraft, as a person, as a family, as a Christian.”
The Witchcraft Act, introduced in 1914 during British colonial rule, rarely leads to prosecutions. Lawyer Dickson Jere told the BBC on 15 September 2025 that the law has historically been used to protect vulnerable people, particularly elderly women accused of bewitching others.
The ruling comes at a time of political tension in Zambia, with accusations of witchcraft also surfacing in disputes over the burial of former president Edgar Lungu, who died in South Africa in June 2025.
Source: Zambia Jails Two Men For Chameleon Witchcraft Plot Against President Hakainde Hichilema
More:
Two men jailed over plot to kill Zambia’s president with witchcraft
Published: September 15, 2025
By: Damilola Oluwaje – Nigeria Tribune, Nigeria
A court in Zambia has sentenced two men to two years in prison for attempting to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema.
According to the BBC, Zambian national Leonard Phiri and Mozambican Jasten Mabulesse Candunde were convicted under the Witchcraft Act after being arrested in December with charms, including a live chameleon.
“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,” magistrate Fine Mayambu said in his ruling.
The case has attracted wide attention as it is the first time anyone has been tried for attempting to use witchcraft against a president in Zambia. Prosecutors said Phiri and Candunde were hired by a fugitive former MP to bewitch Hichilema.
The men claimed they were traditional healers, but the court found them guilty on two counts under the Witchcraft Act.
“The two accepted ownership of the charms. Phiri further demonstrated that the chameleon’s tail, once pricked and used in the ritual, would cause death to occur within five days,” Magistrate Mayambu said.
Their lawyer, Agrippa Malando, said they pleaded for leniency as first-time offenders and asked the court to impose a fine, but this was rejected.
Magistrate Mayambu said many people in Zambia, like in other African countries, believed in witchcraft even though it was not scientifically proven.
He added that the law was meant to protect society from fear and harm caused by those claiming to use 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,” Magistrate Mayambu said.
Alongside the two-year sentence for “professing” witchcraft, the men were given six months for possessing charms. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning they will serve two years from their arrest date in December 2024.
Hichilema has previously said he does not believe in witchcraft and has not commented on the case.
Lawyer Dickson Jere told the BBC that the Witchcraft Act was introduced in 1914 during colonial rule. He said people are “very rarely” prosecuted for practising witchcraft, but the law helps protect elderly women who might otherwise face mob attacks in villages after being accused of causing someone’s death through witchcraft.
Witchcraft has also been mentioned in the ongoing dispute between the government and the family of late President Edgar Lungu over his burial. Some believe the government’s insistence that he be buried in Zambia, against his family’s wishes, may be for “occult reasons”. The government has denied this.
Lungu died in South Africa in June, and his body remains in a morgue there as no agreement has been reached on his burial.
Source: Two men jailed over plot to kill Zambia’s president with witchcraft
And:
Zambia jails two men for attempting to use witchcraft on president
Published: September 15, 2025
By: Vanguard, Nigeria
A Zambian court has sentenced Leonard Phiri and Mozambican Jasten Mabulesse Candunde to two years in prison for trying to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema.
They were arrested in December with charms, including a live chameleon.
“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,” Magistrate Fine Mayambu said.
The men were allegedly hired by a fugitive former MP. Despite claiming to be traditional healers, they were found guilty on two counts under the Witchcraft Act.
“The two accepted ownership of the charms. Phiri further demonstrated that the chameleon’s tail, once pricked and used in the ritual, would cause death to occur within five days,” the magistrate added.
Lawyer Agrippa Malando said his clients pleaded for leniency as first-time offenders, but the court rejected the request.
The men also received six months for possessing charms, but the sentences run concurrently.
President Hichilema, who does not believe in witchcraft, has not commented. The Witchcraft Act, passed in 1914, is rarely used but aims to protect society from fear and harm.
Source: Zambia jails two men for attempting to use witchcraft on president
