Fifty-eight-year-old Nigerian man, Christopher Omigie, who
is a self-acclaimed witch doctor, has been sentenced to 14 years in a US
federal prison for providing drug traffickers with magical and “supernatural”
protection.
At a court hearing on April 30, prosecutors told the
presiding judge, Judge Marcia Crone, that Omigie presented himself to drug
traffickers as a witch doctor who had the powers to prevent them from being
arrested while they smuggled banned drugs and was paid “hundreds of thousands
of dollars” to give supernatural protection from law enforcement.
“Omigie was consulted by drug traffickers in the Cesar
Barrera and David Bazan drug trafficking organisations on a daily basis and
before, during and after each drug transaction.
“The supernatural protections rendered involved card
readings, massages (by Omigie) with magic ointments, cutting of the skin with
razor blades and the topical application of magic powder, the use of magic
amulets, magic belts, magic coconuts and magic rocks (that those being treated
were required to talk to).”
According to the prosecutors, Omigie demanded the smugglers
not to have sex or take a shower after they had applied his magical products so
they will “not diminish the potency” of his work.
“Magic ‘law stay-away’ candles were also burned in order to
protect drug traffickers from law enforcement detection. Omigie would regularly
return to Africa, at drug traffickers’ expense, to re-new his supernatural
powers.”
Omigie’s attorney, Jonathan D. Goins in Houston, criticised
the US prosecutors for calling his client a “witch doctor”, arguing that Mr
Omigie was a respected chief in Nigeria.
“Mr. Omigie is a Nigerian tribal chief, a title he inherited
from his father, and he is a native doctor. The term ‘witch doctor’ is both
pejorative and wrong.”
Goins said his client had a “minimal” role in the drug
scheme and his sentence was “greatly out of proportion”.
“While Mr. Omigie was involved in this drug scheme, he was
not a major figure in this, and in fact his involvement was extremely limited
and minor,” he said.
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