By Mick Oseji, Asaba
Anambra State celebrity native doctor, Mr Chidozie Nwangw, also known as Akwa Okuko has been convicted by a state High Court and subsequently sentenced to two years in prison.
The court also imposed a cumulative N60m fine on him for his sins.
The operatives of Agunechemba Security outfit had in February 2025 arrested Nwangwu on allegations of aiding and abetting kidnapping and money rituals, among others.
The perceived billionaire native doctor was arrested alongside two other of his colleagues – Mr Okocha also known as Onyeze Jesus and Mr Ekene, popularly called Eke Hit.
Suspicions were rife that their unwholesome activities in part fuelled kidnappings, money rituals, ferocious pursuit of money by impressionable Anambra youths in particular and others in the Southeast geopolitical zone in general.
While the three have been attending court sessions for their trial from the custody of Agunechemba Security outfit, Akwa Okuko on Friday, had his judgment read out to him by Justice Jude Obiorah, after pleading guilty to charges against him.
Justice Obiorah recalled that the native doctor had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges against him and also entered a plea bargain with the state government.
The Judge noted that the judgment sentencing the suspect to two years imprisonment on counts three, four, five, six seven and eight was because the suspect has shown reasonable remorse for his actions.
He, however, struck out counts one, two and three of the charges against him. He stated that Nwangwu’s conviction was based on both the criminal code and the Anambra Homeland Law.
He declared that: “Under the law, anyone who claims to possess powers to heal, or make one rich through certain magical means like Okeite is liable to two years imprisonment.
“Any person in the state who practices Okeite or ezenwanyi is liable to six years in prison.”
Justice Obiora, therefore, convicted the native doctor on counts three, four to eight and handed him a two-year prison term that will run concurrently.
Also on counts one, five and eight, the Judge fined the convict N20 million each.
He said, “The total fine sums up to N60 million, but because of the remorse shown by the accused, the fine is now waived as such money in such circumstance is not needed by the state.
“He has spent 13 months in detention already, same will be computed into his sentence, so he will serve the 11 months of his sentence in Awka Correctional Centre, as against plea by his counsel for him to serve in Agunechemba facility. This is because the Agunechemba facility is not a correctional centre.”
The court also gave orders that must be followed as atonement for his sins.
The judge said: “The shrine of the defendant in Oba shall be destroyed, he shall from the date of release no longer practice Okeite and must make public statement denouncing it. The statement shall be recorded in video.
“He will be made ambassador of youth reorientation and must make public statement cautioning youths against seeking wealth through supernatural means,” the judge said.
