Ben Ezechime, Enugu.
Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State has transmitted an Executive Bill to the Enugu State House of Assembly to checkmate criminal activities among native doctors and herbalists in the state.
Mr Uche Anichukwu, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on External Relations, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Enugu.
He said that the proposed legislation was entitled, “Maintenance of Internal Security, Vigilance and Order.”
Anichukwu said that the bill also outlawed money rituals otherwise known as ‘okite,’ criminal bulletproof charms, otherwise known as ‘odeshi.’
According to him, the bill equally outlaws illegal use or occupation of forests and property for criminal activities.
“By the provisions of Section 3 (1) of the bill, “every person, who engages in the practice or rendering of spiritual services within the state, shall be registered with the Ministry, Department and Agencies (MDA) of the state as may be designated by the Governor for that purpose.”
“The registration include the native doctor, herbalist, spiritualist, chief priest, diviner, seer, or by any other traditional or spiritual title or designation.
“Practising without registration will attract a fine of not less than N1 million and not more than N5 million or two-year imprisonment or both,” Anichukwu said.
He added that Section 15 of the proposed legislation provides that “any spiritualist that administers or causes to be administered any charm, substance, or object on or for another person, for the purpose of invincibility commits an offence.
Others include charms for protection to facilitate the committing of any criminal offence and acquiring wealth or benefits by supernatural means outside any lawful means of livelihood.
Anichukwu said such a spiritualist was liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of six years or to a fine of not less than Five million or both.
“Any person, who falsely claims to possess supernatural powers or misleads the public into believing so, for the purpose of gaining reward or influence commits an offence.
“The person shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of three years or to a fine of not less than three million naira (N3,000,000), or both,” Anichukwu said.
He said the proposed bill further provides that where a person claims spiritual powers under this law, “the burden shall lie on such a person, during investigation, to provide reasonable proof of the purported supernatural abilities claimed.
“It provides six years of imprisonment or a fine of Five million or both against anyone, who uses or knowingly permits the use of any religious place, for the commission or facilitation of a crime.
“Any person who performs, facilitates, demands, directs, or participates in any ritual or traditional practice involving the use of human parts, or who causes another person to do so, commits an offence.
“He or she shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of 20 years without the option of a fine,” he said.
Anichukwu said: “Any person found in a camp, bush, or forest within Enugu State without any reasonable or lawful cause, and under circumstances giving rise to reasonable suspicion of involvement in any criminal activity, shall be handed to security official.”
He explained that money, property and other proceeds of theft, robbery, kidnapping, among others were to be forfeited to the Enugu State Government, unless a lawful and verifiable owner claims it within a reasonable time.
