Zambian police have apprehended two individuals, Jasten Mabulesse Candunde, 42, and Leonard Phiri, 43, on charges of conspiring to harm President Hakainde Hichilema using witchcraft. The arrests, made on December 19, were part of an investigation that linked the two men to a plot orchestrated by Nelson Banda, the younger brother of MP Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda.
The suspects were found with various charms, including a live chameleon, and are accused of practicing witchcraft. Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga stated that their mission was to use these charms to harm President Hichilema.
Nelson Banda, who is also facing charges, has been a controversial figure. He allegedly hired Candunde and Phiri for the plot, promising them a sum of $73,000 in return for their services. Banda’s brother, Jay Jay Banda, is a member of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) party, which claims that the charges against him are politically motivated.
Jay Jay Banda was involved in an aggravated robbery case and managed to escape police custody in August 2024. He was later re-arrested in Zimbabwe in November 2024, though he has not appeared publicly since. The PF party, led by former President Edgar Lungu, maintains that the allegations against Banda are part of a political campaign to discredit him.
The suspects, Candunde and Phiri, have been charged under Zambia’s Witchcraft Act for possession of charms, professing knowledge of witchcraft, and cruelty to wild animals. Investigations are ongoing, and further details may emerge as the case progresses.