Two men have been arrested in Zambia who are accused of being “magicians” tasked with trying to bewitch the president.
The police said they arrested Jasten Mabulesse Candunde and Leonard Phiri in the capital, Lusaka.
“Their intention was to use charms to harm,” said President Hakainde Hichilema, according to a police statement, released on Friday.
Many people in the southern African country believe in – and live in fear of – witchcraft.
The police said that Mr. Candunde and Mr. Phiri were hired by Mr. Nelson Banda who is the brother of Mr. Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda.
The Member of Parliament was arrested last month on charges of robbery, which he denied. He is also suspected of escaping from custody in August while awaiting a court appearance.
The opposition Patriotic Front (PF) led by former President Edgar Lungu has previously suspected that these cases have political implications.
Emmanuel Banda, who has been an independent Member of Parliament since 2021, was previously associated with Lungu who lost the presidency to Hichilema that year.
In their statement, the police said that the younger brother of the Member of Parliament, Nelson, “is still on the run”.
Mr Candunde and Mr Phiri have been charged under Zambia’s Witchcraft Act with “possessing charms”, “professing knowledge of witchcraft” and “cruelty to wild animals”.
They were found with “charms” including a chameleon, said the police.
They told police they had been promised more than 2m Zambian kwacha (£58,000; $73,000) for their work, according to a police statement.
The suspects were kept in custody and will appear in court “soon”, the police said, but did not reveal the exact date on which the case will be heard. They have not yet publicly commented on the allegations.
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