Two men have been arrested in Zambia accused of being “witches” who were tasked with trying to overthrow the president.
The police said they had arrested Jasten Mabulesse Candunde and Leonard Phiri in the capital, Lusaka.
“Their intention was to use charms to cause harm,” said President Hakainde Hichilema, in the police statement, published 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 Nelson Banda, the younger brother of MP Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda.
The MP was reportedly arrested last month in neighboring Zimbabwe on robbery charges, which he denies, but has not been seen in public.
He is also accused of escaping from custody in August while he was awaiting a court appearance.
The opposition Patriotic Front (PF), led by former President Edgar Lungu, has previously said the allegations are politically motivated.
Emmanuel Banda, who has been an independent MP since 2021, was previously associated with Lungu, who lost the presidency to Hichilema that year.
In their statement, police said the MP's younger brother, Nelson, was “on the run”.
Mr Candunde and Mr Phiri are charged under Zambia's Witchcraft Act for “possessing charms”, “knowledge of witchcraft” and “cruelty to wild animals”.
The couple were found with “various charms”, including a live chameleon, police said.
They told police they had been promised more than 2m Zambian kwacha (£58,000; $73,000) for the “mission”, according to the police statement.
The suspects are being held and will appear in court “soon”, police said, but did not give an exact date for the hearing. They have yet to comment publicly on the charges.
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(Getty Images/BBC)
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