A High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, on Friday, presided over by Justice Jude Obiora, sentenced a native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as “Akwa Okuko Tiwaraki”, to 11 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in ritual practices known as “oke ite” and related offences.

Nwangwu was arraigned alongside two other native doctors, Eke Hit and Onye Eze, over allegations bordering on money rituals, “oke ite” and preparation of charms for criminals, among other offences.

The trio was arrested in February 2025, about a month after the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, declared a crackdown on native doctors following the signing of the Anambra State Homeland Security Law, which led to the launch of the Agunechemba and Operation Udo-ga-chi security outfits.

Reacting to the judgment, defence counsel, Ogwuedom Iwuoba, described it as a plea bargain decision reached by mutual consent.

“Yes, there is no way I will say I am not okay with it because it is a plea bargain agreement. That was the agreement we signed with the government when we agreed on the issue of plea bargain, and the government kept its own side by sentencing him to 11 months’ imprisonment.

“We made a bargain with the state government, so it is a consent judgment that we agreed to, and there is no need to go on appeal,” he said.

The state government had argued that the activities of some native doctors were fuelling insecurity in the state, a situation it said had significantly reduced since the introduction of the Agunechemba security outfit.

Out of the 10-count charges filed against Nwangwu, the presiding judge struck out six counts and upheld four.

The court initially imposed a six-year prison term with an option of a N60m fine, which was to run concurrently. However, following a plea bargain agreement entered into by the defence and the Anambra State Government, the sentence was reduced to two years.

Justice Obiora noted that the convict had already spent 13 months in detention under the Agunechemba Security Squad while awaiting trial. Consequently, the two-year concurrent sentence was further reduced to 11 months.

As part of the judgment, the court ordered Nwangwu to publicly denounce ritual practices through videos to be posted across all his social media platforms.

The court further directed that he serve as a Youth Entrepreneurship Ambassador for the state and produce videos and reports discouraging youths and members of the public from engaging in wealth-seeking practices linked to “oke ite” and other rituals.

Additionally, the court ordered the destruction of his shrine and the confiscation of materials recovered from him prior to his arrest.

Part of the judgment read, “He will become an Ambassador for youth re-orientation. His Oba shrine is to be destroyed. He will no longer practise Oke ite and will not administer such charms.

“Upon completion of his imprisonment, he will make public statements denouncing Oke ite and such charm practices.

“He will serve his imprisonment at the Awka Correctional Centre.”

PUNCH Online reported on April 4, 2025, that the Anambra State Government arraigned the three native doctors at the Anambra State High Court, Awka, at about 11:58 a. m., where they took their pleas before the matter was adjourned.

Their arraignment followed their arrest and detention over alleged involvement in ritual practices and related offences, amid the state government’s intensified security operations.

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