By Emmanuel Thomas I Friday, July 17, 2026
AWKA — An Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka has sentenced a controversial and popular native doctor, Onyebuchi Okocha, widely known as “Onyeze Jesus,” to six years’ imprisonment.
The court presided over by Honourable Justice Jude Obiorah also imposed a hefty fine of ₦20 million on the convict after finding him guilty of violating provisions under the newly enacted Anambra State Homeland Security Law.
Okocha, who commands a massive following on social media for his ostentatious displays, broke down in tears in the courtroom, pleading for leniency before the final verdict was handed down.
The Judgment
Delivering the landmark judgment, Justice Jude Obiorah convicted Okocha on a one-count charge bordering on misleading the public. The prosecution had brought three counts against the native doctor following a massive security crackdown on suspected ritualists and native doctors across the state.
The court held that Okocha actively propagated the false and dangerous narrative that wealth could be acquired through supernatural shortcuts and illicit spiritual practices, rather than through lawful, hard work.
During the trial, the defendant admitted to being the individual featured in several viral social media videos where he flaunted spiritual charms and promised quick riches. He also acknowledged ownership of the accounts used to distribute the content.
”Individuals who claim supernatural powers capable of making people wealthy through prohibited practices or preparing charms outlawed by the Anambra Homeland Security Law are liable to imprisonment and financial penalties.”
The court, however, discharged and acquitted Okocha on the remaining two counts relating to ritual killings and money-doubling practices. The judge ruled that the prosecution failed to provide concrete evidence or present witnesses establishing that any individual had directly suffered or benefited from the alleged physical rituals.
Panic in Court as “Onyeze Jesus” Weeps
Before the sentence was pronounced, the courtroom witnessed an emotional scene as the once-boisterous spiritualist broke into tears, begging the judge to temper justice with mercy.
Okocha pleaded:
“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.”
Despite his emotional plea, the judge maintained that the law must take its course to serve as a deterrent to other internet spiritualists misleading the public.
1. The Rise and Controversies of Onyeze Jesus
Onyebuchi Okocha, 32, first gained widespread notoriety in late 2020 and early 2021 through viral, highly controversial videos on Facebook and TikTok.
Operating under his ministry, “Children of Light Anointing Ministries” based in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area, Okocha routinely filmed himself parading naked men and women in local rivers, performing rituals, and spraying currency notes on them while promising immediate wealth.
His activities drew intense public condemnation. In January 2021, the Anambra State Government, through the Ministry of Health, was forced to bar him from accessing local mortuaries after he publicly boasted that he would perform “magic” to resurrect seven corpses.
He was briefly arrested by police operatives at the time for criminal and indecent conduct but later resurfaced online.
2. The Dragnet of the Anambra Homeland Security Law
Okocha’s final undoing came following a massive law enforcement sweep targeting native doctors accused of aiding criminal elements.
He was arrested along with other high-profile spiritualists, including Chidozie Nwangwu (popularly known as Akwa Okuko Tiwara Ki) and Ekene Igboekweze (Eke Hit), who were accused of preparing protective charms for kidnappers and armed robbers.
The state government subsequently arraigned them under Section 18 of the Anambra State Homeland Security Law. The strict, sweeping legislation prohibits the practice of “Oke-ite” or using charms to facilitate crime or promote supernatural wealth accumulation.
The law explicitly states that any person who misleads the public by claiming to possess supernatural powers they do not have, or who uses such claims for financial reward, commits an offence punishable by six years in prison, a ₦20 million fine, or both.
Furthermore, the law places the burden of proof on the suspect to demonstrate their purported supernatural powers during investigation.
While traditionalists initially protested the legislation as an attack on African Traditional Religion (ATR), the Anambra State Government clarified that the law does not ban legitimate traditional worship.
Instead, it is a deliberate tool designed to combat cyber-fraud, eradicate get-rich-quick scams targeting vulnerable youths, and curb the spiritual enabling of violent crimes in the South-East.
