A High Court in Anambra State has sentenced popular native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as Akwa Okuko, to two years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to charges bordering on criminal conduct.
Justice Jude Obiorah delivered the judgment on Friday, noting that the defendant had entered a plea bargain with the state government and shown remorse. The court convicted him on counts three to eight and ordered that the two-year sentence run concurrently.
Nwangwu was arrested in February 2025 by operatives of the Agunechemba Security outfit over allegations of aiding and abetting kidnapping and engaging in money rituals. He was arrested alongside two others, Okocha, also known as Onyeze Jesus, and Ekene, also known as Eke Hit, who are still undergoing trial.
The judge struck out some of the charges but held that the conviction was based on provisions of the Criminal Code and the Anambra Homeland Law. He stated that under the law, anyone who claims to possess powers to heal or make people rich through magical means such as Okeite is liable to two years imprisonment, while anyone who practices Okeite or ezenwanyi is liable to six years in prison.
Although the court imposed fines of N20 million each on some counts, totaling N60 million, Justice Obiorah waived the fines in view of the defendant’s remorse. He also ordered that the 13 months Nwangwu had already spent in detention be deducted from his sentence, leaving him to serve the remaining 11 months at the Awka Correctional Centre.
The court further ordered the destruction of his shrine in Oba and barred him from practicing Okeite after his release. He was also directed to publicly denounce the practice in a recorded video and serve as an ambassador for youth reorientation, cautioning young people against seeking wealth through supernatural means.
