AfriPulse
An Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka has convicted and sentenced a detained native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, widely known as Akwaokuko Tiwara Aki, to 12 years imprisonment.
Delivering judgment, Justice Jude Obiora found Nwangwu guilty on counts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, imposing two years’ imprisonment on each count. The court, however, dismissed counts 1, 2, 9 and 10.
The judge ruled that the sentences would run concurrently. He further observed that since the convict had already spent 13 months in detention at the Agunechemba facility in Awka, he would serve the remaining 11 months at the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Awka.
As part of the judgment, the court ordered that Nwangwu’s controversial shrine in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area, be completely demolished, with the process recorded on video.
In addition, the court directed him to sign a formal undertaking renouncing okite practices. Upon completing his prison term, he is to serve as a youth ambassador tasked with correcting the narrative he allegedly promoted about acquiring wealth through unlawful means.
He was also instructed to use all his social media platforms to publicly declare that he no longer practises okite.
Justice Obiora disclosed that he had initially considered imposing fines of N20 million each on three separate counts in place of the six-year custodial terms stipulated by law. However, he said the fines were waived after taking into account the remorse shown by Nwangwu during his time in detention.
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Although defence counsel appealed for the convict to serve his sentence at the Agunechemba facility, the court ruled that the term must be served at the Awka Correctional Centre, citing the lack of appropriate correctional infrastructure at the Agunechemba facility.
Source: RipplesNigeria | Read the Full Story…
