An Anambra State High Court has sentenced popular native doctor Onyebuchi Okocha, widely known as Onyeze Jesus, to six years imprisonment and ordered him to pay a ₦20 million fine .
The court found Okocha guilty of fraudulent spiritual practices under the Anambra State Homeland Security Law, which prohibits individuals from deceiving the public with claims of supernatural wealth creation and preparing charms intended to aid criminal activities . He had been in detention for about 18 months following his arrest .
According to the prosecution, Okocha deceived members of the public through his social media handles, where he posted videos claiming to have the power to make people wealthy through supernatural means, including the widely publicised Oke-Ite rituals . The court ruled that these claims could not be proven as there was no evidence or testimony from anyone who had benefited from his practices .
Delivering judgment, Justice Jude Obiora said the defendant admitted being the person in a viral video and owner of the social media handles where the videos were posted, but ruled that his claims of ritual murder or money doubling could not be substantiated .
During his plea for leniency, Okocha told the court: “My Lord, please temper justice with mercy because this is my first offence and this is the first time that I am having a court case. Since February last year that I was arrested and have been in custody, I do not know the whereabouts of my wife and my twin children who depend on me as the breadwinner” .
The conviction is part of the Anambra State Government’s ongoing crackdown on fraudulent spiritual practices, which has also seen other prominent native doctors, including Chidozie Nwangwu (Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki), face prosecution . The enforcement campaign, initiated by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, aims to curb criminality linked to deceptive spiritual activities and ritual-related offences .