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 barman pleaded not guilty to tampering and abusing the naira during his trial.
Cubana Chief Priest faced three counts bordering on the abuse of naira by allegedly spraying and tampering with the nation’s currency at a social event, which goes against the Central Bank Act of 2007. The allegations stemmed from an incident on February 13, 2024, at Eko Hotel, where he was accused of spraying the naira while dancing at a social event.
According to the charge marked FHC/L/ 246/2024, obtained by The PUNCH, Cubana Chief Priest allegedly tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying the same for two hours during a social event in Lagos in 2020.
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.”
The EFCC had earlier secured the conviction of popular cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, on similar charges. This indicates a crackdown on individuals involved in the abuse of naira notes.
In response to these incidents, the EFCC stated its ongoing investigation into several celebrities over alleged abuse of Naira notes. The commission emphasized its commitment to upholding the law and warned the public against engaging in such unlawful activities.
In a statement, its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said, “Many of them have made useful statements to the commission and many more have been invited by investigators working on the matter.
“The EFCC will not relent in its no-sacred-cow mode of operations and the public should be wary of running afoul of laws against the crime.”