Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Justice Jude Obiora of the Anambra State High Court adjourned the case to June 3, 2026, after observing firsthand that the visibly ill native doctor would be unable to enter a plea.
The court session, which was held on Friday, quickly descended into a heated legal argument even before Ezenagu was escorted into the courtroom. The prosecution team, led by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke (SAN), argued that the case should proceed regardless of the defendant’s condition. However, the defense counsel, Kingsley Awuka, strongly countered that his client was in no state to take his plea and needed urgent medical attention. After observing the native doctor’s frail state—he was reportedly brought directly from his sickbed at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka—Justice Obiora sided with the defense. The judge ruled that proceeding with the arraignment under such circumstances would compromise the defendant’s right to a fair hearing and adjourned the matter to June 3 to allow him time to attend to his health.
Speaking to journalists after the adjournment, Attorney General Nweke maintained that the state remains fully committed to prosecuting the case to its logical conclusion. “The state is ready,” Nweke declared. “We have our facts and our witnesses. While we acknowledge the court’s decision regarding the defendant’s health, we remain committed to ensuring justice is served under the law”. On his part, the defense counsel, Kingsley Awuka, expressed confidence that his client would be fit to face the charges by the next adjourned date.
The dramatic courtroom scene is the latest twist in a case that began in earnest on March 12, 2026, when the Anambra State Agunechemba security outfit arrested Ezenagu at his home in Nnewi. The arrest is part of a wider crackdown by Governor Charles Soludo’s administration on native doctors accused of providing “spiritual fortification” and protection to criminal gangs, including kidnappers and armed robbers. At a press briefing following his arrest, Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi, alleged that Ezenagu lured young men and women to bathe in a stream behind his house, promising them quick wealth, an act deemed in violation of the state’s Homeland Security Law.
Ezenagu has remained in custody since his arrest, but his detention has been fraught with severe medical complications. Reports emerged weeks ago that the native doctor was in critical condition, allegedly excreting blood and suffering from internal bleeding while in state custody. He was eventually transferred to a teaching hospital in Awka where he was placed on oxygen and remained under heavy guard. Photographs circulated online showing him being wheeled into the hospital and later being supported by security personnel as he was brought to court on Friday.
The crackdown on native doctors in Anambra has been met with mixed reactions. While many residents support the governor’s move to curb insecurity and ritual-related crimes, traditional religious leaders have cautioned against the blanket profiling of legitimate ancestral practices. In a related high-profile case, another native doctor known as “Akwa Okuku Tiwara Aki” was recently convicted under a plea bargain arrangement. Ezenagu now faces prosecution under the Anambra State Homeland Security Law and possibly other charges. As the legal saga continues to unfold, the primary question remains: will the controversial native doctor’s next court appearance be a matter of law or a matter of life and death?
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