Former Vice-President Joice Mujuru on Tuesday denied President Mugabe’s claims that she used withcraft to try and kill the President, saying the utterances were “fantastical and sexually lewd allegations.”

President Mugabe asserts that Mujuru bought chickens named after him, his wife, the current Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and herself, after which Mujuru performed some rituals naked.

“We heard that they were specialists in the field of witchcraft. They were specialists, yes, but specialists in robbing people, foolish people,” said Mugabe of the two unknown Nigerians who were allegedly in on the ruse.

Speaking on the comments which were made during an event to celebrate the President’s 91st birthday on Saturday, Mujuru said: “I am at a loss as to how I continue to be the subject matter of presidential conjecture and fantasy. I don’t do such things,” she said. Mujuru emphasised that she is a Christian, and spoke of committing herself to “nation-building and avoiding unnecessary destruction of the party.”

Mujuru was removed as Vice President in December 2014, after the president’s wife, Grace Mugabe, led a campaign to discredit her, accusing Mujuru of wearing a mini-skirt and plotting to oust the president.