Nigeria's socialite, Pascal Okechukwu popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest who facing a three-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly abusing naira notes, has pleaded not guilty to the allegation
The Instagram celebrity was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on Wednesday.
The anti-graft commission in the three-count charge against Cubana Chief Priest accused him of abusing the naira at a social event, an act said to have violated the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.
The suspect after pleading not guilty, was however granted bail by the court in the sum of ₦10m with two responsible sureties in like sum who must be gainfully employed with the federal or state government and not less than grade level 16
The sureties are to have landed property whose document must be verified by the court.
Cubana Chief Priest is also to submit his travel passport to the custody of the court.
The suspect had since been released to his lawyer who is expected to have signed undertaken to produce him in court for trial pending the perfection of the bail conditions within seven days
The court warned that failure to do so, would lead to remanding him in correctional facility.
A copy of the charge which was filed on April 4th by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission, reads as follow
In Count 1, it was alleged, “that you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th Feb. 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.
In count 2, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.
In Count 3, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.
Meanwhile, the defendant also informed the court of his pending application to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charge.
Justice Ogundare has adjourned till May 2nd to hear the application.
This is coming days after the EFCC arraigned controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye better known as Bobrisky on similar charges for which he was sentenced to a six-month jail term.
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