Popular Instagram personality Cubana Chief Priest, real name Pascal Okechukwu, has entered a plea of not guilty against allegations of naira abuse.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) leveled a three-count charge against him, accusing him of abusing the naira at a social event, a violation of the Central Bank Act of 2007.
This development follows the recent arraignment of controversial figure Bobrisky on similar charges, which resulted in a six-month jail term.
Appearing before Justice Kehinde Ogundare at the Federal High Court, Lagos, Cubana Chief Priest formally denied the charges levelled against him.
Following his plea, the court granted him bail in the sum of ₦10 million, which required two sureties of good standing, employed either by the federal or state government at no less than grade level 16, with verifiable landed property documents.In addition, Cubana Chief Priest was directed to surrender his travel passport to the court custody.
Bail conditions must be fulfilled within seven days, with his release contingent on his lawyer’s undertaking to produce him when required; failure to comply may lead to remand in a correctional facility.
The EFCC’s prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), along with seven other lawyers representing the Commission, filed the charges on April 4th.
The charges detail instances of alleged naira abuse, citing specific events where Cubana Chief Priest reportedly sprayed N500 notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Cubana Chief Priest has disclosed plans to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charges, with a hearing scheduled for May 2nd.
