Socialite, Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has pleaded not guilty to a three counts charge of abuse of the Naira.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Cubana Chief Priest over charges of Naira abuse.
He was granted a N10m bail with two sureties in like sum.
EFCC last week said many celebrities are being probed for their illegal use of the nation’s currency. This was after cross-dresser, Idris Okunneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, was convicted Friday following EFCC’s prosecution of him for naira abuse. He was jailed for six months.
In the charge marked FHC/L/ 246/2024, 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 offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.”
The EFCC, on April 5, 2024, secured the conviction of popular cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, on similar charges for which he was sentenced to six-month imprisonment on Friday, April 12, 2024.
Earlier on Sunday, the EFCC revealed that it was probing several celebrities over alleged abuse of Naira notes.
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.”
