Anita Ogona
Socialite, Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has pleaded not guilty to a three counts charge of abuse of the Naira bordering on abuse of naira by allegedly spraying and tampering with the naira at a social event, contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.
He was alleged to have sprayed the naira on February 13, 2024 at Eko Hotel.
EFCC last week said many celebrities are being probed for their illegal use of the nation’s currency. This was after cross-dresser, Idris Okunneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, was convicted Friday following EFCC’s prosecution of him for naira abuse. He was jailed for six months.
Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court in Lagos State has granted businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, N10 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
The celebrity bar man pleaded not guilty to tampering and abusing the naira during his trial.
Cubana Chief Priest was said to have also committed the offences while dancing during a social event.
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.
A copy of the three-count charge against the Cubana Chief Priest which was filed on April 4 by EFCC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission 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”.
“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”.
“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”.
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