Cubana Chief Priest granted ₦10m bail, pleads not guilty to naira abuse charges

Federal High Court Justice Kehinde Ogundare in Lagos State has granted businessman and socialite Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, bail of ₦10 million with two sureties of equal value. 

According to The Nation, the celebrity barman pleaded not guilty to charges of tampering with and abusing the Nigerian currency during his trial.

Cubana Chief Priest appeared before Justice Kehinde Ogundare, facing three charges related to the alleged abuse of the naira by spraying and tampering with it at a social event, which goes against the Central Bank Act of 2007.

The incident allegedly occurred on February 13, 2024, at Eko Hotel.

Cubana Chief Priest allegedly committed the infractions while participating in a social gathering, where he was reportedly dancing.

During this event, it's claimed that he used funds consisting of ₦500 notes provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria by dispersing them through spraying for two hours.

According to the court document as quoted by Channels TV, count 1 of the charges alleged that “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 ₦500 (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”.

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 ₦500 (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”.

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 ₦500 (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”.