Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted the popular socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, better known as Cubana Chief Priest bail in the sum of N10 million.
Cubana Chief Priest was been arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos for abuse of the naira.
The socialite was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice Kehinde Ogundare.
The anti-graft commission filed a three-count charge against Cubana Chief Priest accused of abusing the naira at a social event, an act said to be contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.
He pleaded not guilty and the court granted him bail in the sum of ₦10m.
The charge which was filed on April 4th by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission was obtained by newsmen.
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”.
This is coming days after the EFCC arraigned controversial cross-dresser Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky on similar charges for which he was sentenced to a six-month jail term.
