Court Sentences Popular Anambra Native Doctor, Akwa Okuko To 11 Months Imprisonment

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A high Court sitting in Awka, the Anambra state capital, South East Nigeria has sentenced a native doctor,  Chukwudozie Nwangwu popularly known as (Akwa  to eleven months imprisonment.

The court verdict followed his plea of guilty to three counts of charges preferred against him by the Governor Charles Soludo  led Anambra state government.

In the verdict, the presiding Judge, Justice Henry Obiora, ordered that the native doctor will become an Ambassador for youth re-orientation; will have his oba Shrine destroyed and will no longer practice the ritual job known as (Okeite) and won’t administer such charms anymore.

It would be recalled that about thirteen months ago , Nwangwu was arrested on the account of alleged operation of Oke Ite Ritual practices and misleading the public about money making.

Out of the ten count charges against him, Justice Obiora struck out six and upheld four of the charges .

The Court further waved the total of six years imprisonment and option of N60 Million Optional Fine which should have ran concurrently.

Justice Obiora had also stated the earlier motion for plea bargain which the court admitted in evidence which prompted the Court to reduce the earlier six years imprisonment to two years.

However, the judge said the convict had been in an awaiting trial facility under Agunechemba Security Squad for thirteen months hence his concurrent sentence of two years was reduced to eleven months improvement.

The Court also ordered that Nwangwu should denounce his ritual practices through videos which would be posted in all his Social Media platforms.

Also as part of the judgment the native Doctor would serve as Youth Entrepreneurship Ambassador of the state and would record videos and reports of him discouraging the youths and other members of the public  from wealth making through Oke-Ite and other forms of rituals.

Furthermore, the Court also ordered for the destruction of his shrines and confiscation of all materials used by him before the arrest.

Reacting to the judgement against his client, Nwangwu’s  defence Council,  Barrister Syllables Ogwuedom Iwuoba  described it as a plea bargain judgement, stressing that they had entered into an agreement with the Anambra state government 

He said: “Yes, there is no way that I will tell you that I am not okay with it because it is a plea-bagain agreement”

“That was the agreement we signed with the Government when we agreed on the issue of plea bargain and the Government kept it to their own side by sentencing him eleven months imprisonment and that is our agreement with the Government”

“How would that be a room for appeal when we consented to it ? We made a bargain with them so it is as more as a sentenced judgement so we agree to and there is no need of going for an appeal” he stated.

Upon completion of his imprisonment, he will make a public statement denouncing Okeite and such charm practices. He will serve his imprisonment at Awka Correctional Center.

Other charges are for preparing protective charms for criminals, accused of making talismans believed to be used by kidnappers and armed robbers; and aiding criminals, assisting them through charms and other means.

 Nwangwu, along two other native Doctors,  Onyebuchi Okocha and Ekene Igboekweze, were arrested in February and charged with possessing “supernatural powers” to make money, stagnate destiny, and conspiracy to commit felony, amongst other offences.

Short URL: https://www.africanexaminer.com/?p=105871