Two native doctors, including notorious Anambra billionaire native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as Akwa Okuko, and Ekene Igboekweze, commonly referred to as Eke Hit, were on Friday arraigned at the State High Court in Awka.
Also arraigned was a self-styled pastor, Onyebuchi Okocha, popularly known as Onyeze Jesus.
The three individuals who were accused of aiding criminals and being involved in money rituals in Anambra State were led into court by Chief Ken Emeakayi, the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Community Security.
According to the court documents sighted by our correspondent, the suspects face charges related to offences under the new Anambra State Homeland Security Law 2025.
The law prohibits certain traditional charms, including Oke-ite(charms for money rituals) and Odeshi (protective charms for criminals), and criminalizes their preparation by any religious head.
The defendants were separately docked today in a heavily congested courtroom, and the charges against them were read.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The presiding judge, Justice Jude Obiorah, adjourned the case to April 11, 2025, to continue the trial.
After the court proceedings, one defense counsel, Remigus Okoli, spoke to the press, accusing the state government of having a scheme to remand the defendants.
He argued that the accused were not given sufficient time to prepare their defense.
Efforts to reach the counsel representing the state government, led by F.C. Okeke, for comment were unsuccessful.
However, the State Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor has clarified that the claims of fundamental human rights violation against the arrested person were untrue.
Reacting to the state government’s failure to arraign the suspects since their arrest in February, Mefor said the state government has always renewed the detention orders for the suspects as required by law.
He said the detention was to enable a forensic investigation of the items recovered from the shrines of the native doctors.
