A Nigerian businessman and Instagram celebrity Pascal Okechukwu popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest has been granted bail in sum of N10m at the Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos after pleading not guilty for alleged naira abuse.
The socialite who was arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Kehinde Ogundare pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC
The anti-graft commission had filed a three-count charge against Cubana Chief Priest accusing him of abusing the naira at a social event an act according to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007 is prohibited.
He was said to have tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 notes issued by the CBN by spraying the same for two hours.
The court granted him bail 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 expected to have landed property with a verified document by the court
Cubana Chief Priest is expected to submit his travel passport to the custody of the court.
The bail conditions must be met within seven days. He was however released to his lawyer who must sign an undertaken to produce him later. Failure to do so, he will be remanded in a correctional facility.
According to the copy of the charge marked FHC/L/ 246/2024, obtained by newsmen, it indicates the charges against him:
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”.
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.
