Two men accused of being “witch doctors” tasked with hexing the president have been arrested in Zambia.
Police said they arrested Jasten Mabulesse Candunde and Leonard Phiri in the capital Lusaka.
“Their alleged mission was to use magic spells to cause harm,” the police statement released Friday said.
Many people in the southern African country believe in witchcraft and live in fear of it.
Police said Mr Candunde and Mr Phiri were hired by Nelson Banda, the younger brother of MP Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda.
The MP was reportedly arrested in neighboring Zimbabwe last month on robbery charges, which he denies, but has not been seen in public.
He is also accused of escaping from custody in August while awaiting his court appearance.
The opposition Patriotic Front (PF) party, led by former president Edgar Lungu, had previously claimed that these allegations were politically motivated.
Emmanuel Banda, who has been an independent MP since 2021, was previously linked to Lungu, who lost the presidency to Hichilema this year.
In their statement, police said the deputy’s younger brother, Nelson, is “currently on the run.”
Mr Candunde and Mr Phiri were charged under Zambia’s Witchcraft Law for “possession of spells”, “claiming knowledge of witchcraft” and “cruelty to wild animals”.
The two were found in possession of “various amulets”, including a live chameleon, police added.
They told police they had been promised more than 2 million Zambian kwacha (£58,000; $73,000) for their “mission”, the police statement said.
The suspects are in custody and will appear in court “soon,” police said, but did not give an exact date for the hearing. They have not yet commented publicly on the allegations.
