By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
The Police, the Law and the Dark Art of Witchcraft
Inspector General of Police, Graphael Musamba’s love and reliance for fables and fictitious stories that masquerade as intelligence information but forms the basis of malicious prosecution against political opponents, has earned the Zambia Police international media attention.
The pursuit of two witchdoctors who were allegedly hired to take out President Hakainde Hichilema through socery, omen or the use of black magic, has earned the Police wide mockery and ridiculous laughing social-media memes.
WITCHCRAFT AND THE PEOPLE
Our people encounter stories of witchcraft everyday. They see those daily adverts and posters of witch finders and witchdoctors claiming they will restore lost lovers, create wealth and employment, heal all diseases, multiply money, and reduce the exchange rate!
Our people know the phenomenon of witchcraft exist. In families, members point at suspects as purveyors of the dark art especially during loss, sicknesses or deaths of family members.
Belief in witchcraft sometimes leads followers and adherents to lose money.
Africa’s embracing of new religions and new gods such as christianity or islam, immediately classified herbal healing and medicines, as socery, evil spirits and witchcraft, helped foster the confusion and superstition.
The worst form of witchcraft is when adherents become involved in ritual killings which accounts for children disappearing, or persons with unique features such as albinos, become victims of human sacrifice and body parts as the practioners and beneficiaries seek a talisman.
It’s also terrible, especially in rural areas, when mobs rise and kill suspected witches in the community.
You have seen the phenomenon were the body of the deceased person in a coffin “leads” pall bearers to suspected witch who “killed” them. The chikondo ritual.
WITCHCRAFT AND THE LAW
This ritual has been subjected to an exhaustive court process.
In this case two accused persons were convicted of murdering an elderly woman, but pleaded their belief in witchcraft as an extenuating circumstance.
Though found guilty of murder, their alleged beliefs helped reduce their punishment to a life sentence instead of the death penalty that would otherwise have been mandatory.
The two then appealed against sentence only, on the basis that it was “manifestly excessive” to imprison them to life since they were first offenders.
Hearing this case, the Supreme Court, 7 judges, took the opportunity to restate its views on when a belief in witchcraft would amount to extenuating circumstances.
The remaining four said they were unanimous in finding the trial court made a “perverse finding of fact” on the question of extenuating circumstances due to a belief in witchcraft, and the supreme court felt “duty bound” to intervene and reverse it.
“The net result is that we quash the life sentence and we impose the mandatory death sentence in its place,” the judges said.
Recently Mumbwa residents rioted in the town and stormed Yakaipa Luxury Lodge, burning and looting everything in sight, including all vehicles and killed the business owners.
The owners were accused of ritual killings occuring in the area. The evidence? The Ottoman Bench, a bedroom chair or furniture that acts as a storage chest or foot rest stool.
The workers had spread the information that the business owners were suspects in ritual murders in Mumbwa as “each room at Yakaipa Lodge, held a coffin!”
THE POLICE AND WITCHCRAFT
Witchcraft is part of the belief system of the supernatural, evil and good, the very basis for religion and cults.
But the Zambia Police is not trained in pusuing witchcraft,teba muchape! This is space for the church and witchdoctors. Hence the ridicule.
Infact, the law bans any witchcraft and its promotion.
The Witchcraft Act, which outlines penalties for practicing witchcraft and includes provisions against chiefs or headmen who encourage it.
The Act, that was first passed in 1914!, defines witchcraft as practices like throwing bones, using charms, or any other means used in sorcery or witchcraft, and can result in fines or imprisonment depending on the offense.
“Every person professing to be able to control by non-natural means the course of nature or using any subtle craft, means or device by means of witchcraft, charms or otherwise to deceive or impose upon any other person shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred penalty units or to imprisonment not exceeding two years”.
The law also bans witchdoctors and witch finders, hence the practioners will call themselves herbalists which is excluded from the law.
There are also penalties for those that claim to posses knowledge of witchcraft, acts of consulting witchcraft, employing or soliciting perdons in matters of witchcraft,and possesion of charms.
CONCLUSION
However, why we all laugh at Musamba’s claims against the two witchdoctors, witchcraft, belief in black magic, socery and use of “ZAFFICO” is widely practiced for protection or attack in soccer (players refusing to enter normal gates or use of opponents change rooms) in business and politics ( source of rituals, ritual killings).
I’ve heard takes from the C5 (anti-robbery squad) who say slain robbers usually wear charms as protection against arrests or as armour against live bullets!
Some leaders carry ,not only their own water and food, but their own chairs and may not share chairs or their vehicles.
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” Psalm 20;7-8
So Graphael Musamba must stay in his trained space and handle law and order than pursue witchcraft.