A High Court in Awka, Anambra State, has sentenced popular native doctor, Onyebuchi Okocha, popularly known as Onyeze Jesus, to six years in prison and imposed a ₦20 million fine after finding him guilty under the state’s Homeland Security Law.

The conviction was confirmed on Friday by the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Dr. Law Mefor.

Okocha was prosecuted alongside other well-known native doctors, including Chidozie Nwangwu, also known as Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki, and Ekene Igbonekwu, popularly called Eke Hit, as part of the state government’s campaign against alleged ritual practices, fake spiritual claims and activities considered to promote criminality.

According to the state government, the charges were brought under the Anambra State Homeland Security Law, enacted by the Governor Charles Soludo administration to prohibit practices and claims associated with supernatural wealth creation, including the promotion of “Oke-Ite” and “Ezenwanyi.”

The law provides penalties of up to six years’ imprisonment, a fine of ₦20 million, or both, for anyone convicted of deceiving members of the public with claims of acquiring wealth through supernatural means or producing charms believed to aid criminal activities.

Unlike his co-defendant, Chidozie Nwangwu, who reached a plea agreement with prosecutors in February and received a concurrent two-year prison sentence, Okocha proceeded through trial before the court handed down the maximum penalties provided under the law.

Reacting to the judgment, Mefor said the state government remained committed to enforcing its laws against individuals accused of using religious or traditional practices to encourage fraud or other criminal acts.

He added that the government would continue implementing its security and value reorientation policies without bias, noting that previous enforcement efforts had included the demolition of shrines linked to convicted ritual practitioners.

Following the judgment, Okocha was remanded at the Awka Correctional Centre to begin serving his prison sentence.