Written By: Jacobs Dunga, Lagos
Pascal Okechukwu (Cubana Chief Priest), a top Nigerian socialite and businessman, pleaded not guilty before the court of law.
The Celebrity Bar Man was paraded before the Federal High Court in Lagos owing to three count charges of the Naira abuse.
The EFCC brought charges against the Lagos-based socialite for allegedly abusing and tampering with the nation’s currency at a social event.
The Central Bank Act of 2007 prohibits such acts against the Naira which brought about the arrest of Mr Pascal Okechukwu.
He was alleged to have sprayed the naira on February 13, 2024, at Eko Hotel and Suites where he allegedly tampered with N500 denominations of the Naira note.
He was arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare where the charges were read out to him.
In the charge marked FHC/L/ 246/2024, revealed by The Punch, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alleged that sometime in 2020, during a social event in Lagos, Cubana Chief Priest tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, by spraying the same for two hours.
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 offense, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.”
Mr Pascal Okechukwu, having pleaded not guilty, was hereby granted a bail of N10m with two sureties in like sum.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
