Zambian Leonard
Phiri and Mozambican Jasten Mabulesse Candunde were convicted under the
Witchcraft Act after being arrested in December with charms in their
possession, including a live chameleon.
"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.
The case has
been closely followed in Zambia, as this was the first time anyone was put on
trial for attempting to use witchcraft against a president.
The prosecution
alleged that Phiri and Candunde were hired by a fugitive former MP to bewitch
Hichilema.
Despite their
insistence that they were bona fide traditional healers, 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 law was
designed to protect society from fear and harm caused by those claiming to have
the power to carry out acts of witchcraft, he said.
"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.
In addition to
the two-year sentence they were given for "professing" witchcraft,
the men were sentenced to six months in prison for possessing charms. BBC
Africa
0 comments:
Post a Comment