NAIRA ABUSE: CUBANA CHIEF PRIEST GRANTED N10 MILLION BAIL AFTER NOT GUILTY PLEA
Read Time:2 Minute, 29 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
Following his “not guilty” plea to a charge of Naira abuse, celebrity barman Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, was granted N10 million in bail by the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday.
Following an application from the Cubana Chief Priest’s counsel, Mr. Chikaosolu Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Justice Kehinde Ogundare issued the order.
The defendant was found guilty on three counts of spraying and tampering with Naira notes for two hours at a social function in violation of the Central Bank Act of 2007 after being arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
On April 4, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) and seven other attorneys representing the EFCC chairman submitted the three-count allegation.
It alleged that “Okechukwu Pascal on February 13, 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) 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.
“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 Pasca,l 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 Cubana Chief Priest entered a not guilty plea to each count after the charge was read to him.
His counsel told the judge that he had submitted an application for bail on the defendant’s behalf, pleading with the judge to grant him extremely generous terms of release.
Ojukwu said: “We graciously urge the court to grant the defendant bail and before the perfection of the conditions I want to humbly beg the court to hand him over to me as a member of the Inner Bar.
“The defendant is very sick. He even came from the EFCC’s clinic this morning. Only the living can stand trial.”
The Cubana Chief Priest was granted bail on certain conditions, which included a N10 million bail bond, a guarantor on grade level 16 in the public service, and the requirement that the surety be a landowner. Justice Ogundare granted his plea.
In addition, the court granted Cubana Chief Priest’s counsel a 14-day extension to complete the bail requirements; if not, the defendant would be placed under detention at the Ikoyi Correctional Services Centre.
Justice Ogundare postponed the trial until May 2.
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