Two men in Zambia have been handed prison sentences for their alleged plot to kill President Hakainde Hichilema using witchcraft.

A judge in the capital, Lusaka, delivered the verdict in a case that has drawn considerable attention to traditional beliefs and colonial-era laws.

The Conviction and Sentence

Leonard Phiri, a 43-year-old Zambian village chief, and Jasten Mabulesse Candunde, a 42-year-old Mozambican national, were found guilty last week.

They were convicted under Zambia's Witchcraft Act. Magistrate Fine Mayambu sentenced both men to two years in prison with hard labour.

They also received a six-month sentence for possessing charms, which will run concurrently. Their sentences are effective from their arrest in December 2024.

The Alleged Plot

Authorities arrested the men in a Lusaka hotel room last year after a cleaner reported hearing strange noises.

Police found a live chameleon in a bottle, along with an animal tail and 12 bottles of various concoctions. Other items seized included a red cloth and an unidentified white powder.

The court heard that they intended to cast a spell on President Hichilema to cause his death. Mr Phiri reportedly demonstrated how pricking a chameleon's tail during a ritual could lead to death within five days.

Despite their claims of being bona fide traditional healers, the court found them guilty on two counts.

"The convicts were not only enemies of the head of state but also enemies of all Zambians." – Magistrate Fine Mayambu.

A Relic of Colonial Rule

Zambia's Witchcraft Act dates back to 1914. It outlaws pretending to use supernatural power, sorcery, or enchantment to cause fear, annoyance, or injury.

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The maximum penalty under this law is three years in prison. This case marks the first time individuals have faced trial for attempting to bewitch a Zambian president.