By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A Zambia court has sentenced two men to two years in prison over their roles in an attempt to kill the country’s President, Hakainde Hichilema using witchcraft.
“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.
A Zambian national, Leonard Phiri and his Mozambican accomplice, Jasten Mabulesse Candunde were convicted under the Witchcraft Act. They were first arrested in December with charms in their possession, including a live chameleon, a BBC report says.
The case has attracted public interest as this was the first time anyone was prosecuted for attempting to use witchcraft against a sitting President.
The prosecution alleged that Phiri and Candunde were hired by a fugitive former MP to bewitch Hichilema.
The accused persons had claimed that they were bona fide 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.
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 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.
Hichilema has previously said he does not believe in witchcraft but has not commented on the case.
