Two men have been arrested in Zambia accused of being “witchdoctors” who had been tasked with trying to bewitch the president.

The police said they had arrested Jasten Mabulesse Candunde and Leonard Phiri in the capital, Lusaka.

“Their purported mission was to use charms to harm” President Hakainde Hichilema, said the police statement, released on Friday.

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The 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 last month in neighbouring Zimbabwe over robbery charges, which he denies, but he has not been seen in public.

He is also accused of having escaped from custody in August as he awaited to appear in court.

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Mr Candunde and Mr Phiri have been charged under Zambia’s Witchcraft Act with “possession of charms”, “professing knowledge of witchcraft” and “cruelty to wild animals”.

The pair were found in possession of “assorted charms”, including a live chameleon, the police added.

They told the police they had been promised more than 2m Zambian kwacha (£58,000; $73,000) for their “mission”, according to the police statement.