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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Popular Instagram celebrity, Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, has pleaded not guilty for alleged naira abuse.
He pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The socialite was arraigned at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos before Justice Kehinde Ogundare, on Wednesday.
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 said to be contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act, 2007.
After pleading not guilty, Cubana Chief Priest was granted him bail in the sum of N10m with two sureties in like sum who must be gainfully employed with the federal or state government and not less than on grade level 16.
The sureties are to have landed property and the document must be verified by the court.
Cubana Chief Priest is also to submit his international passport to the Registrar of the court.
The bail conditions must be perfected within seven days. But in the meantime he was released to his lawyer who must give an undertaken to produce him later. Failure to do so, he will be remanded in correctional facility
The charges filed on April 4 by EFFC’s prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the anti-graft agency read: “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.”
Count 3 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 adjourned till May 2 to hear the application.
This is coming days after the EFCC arraigned controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky on similar charges for which he was sentenced to a six-month in prison.