Cubana Chief Priest pleads innocence, released on N10 million bail

Famous Instagram celebrity Pascal Okechukwu, popularly 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) and was granted bail of N10m.

The socialite was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos, before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on Wednesday.

The three-count charge

The anti-graft commission filed a three-count charge of allegedly spraying and tampering with the Naira notes at a social event contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

In the charge filed on 4 April by the EFFC’s prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and seven other lawyers representing the anti-graft commission, it was alleged that Mr Okechukwu 13 February, 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) notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and 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.”

READ ALSO: Naira Abuse: EFCC charges Instagram celebrity Cubana Chief Priest, set for arraignment

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.”

Recall that the EFCC on April 5 secured the conviction of popular cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, on similar charges for which he was sentenced to six months imprisonment.