Cubana Chief Priest pleads not guilty to naira abuse charges, granted N10m bail

Popular socialite and Instagram celebrity, Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, was on Wednesday, granted a N10 million bail by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

This was after he pleaded not guilty to alleged naira abuse charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The bail which also comes with the provision of two responsible sureties in like sum who must be gainfully employed with the federal or state government and not less than grade level 16, must have landed property whose documents must be verified by the court.

Part of the bail condition stipulates that Cubana must submit his travel passport to the custody of the court.

According to the judge, the bail conditions must be perfected within seven days but in the meantime, Cubana was released to his lawyer who must give an undertaken to produce him later.

The anti-graft agency had arraigned Cubana before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on three counts of spraying and tampering with the Naira notes at a social event at Eko hotel in Lagos.

READ ALSO:EFCC to arraign Cubana chief priest for naira abuse Wednesday

After the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty to the charge, led by his counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN).

While making an appearance for Cubana, Ojukwu informed the court of a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction as well as a bail application filed on behalf of the defendant.

In moving the bail application of the defendant, he urged the court to grant him bail on liberal terms as he was a first offender and was suffering from an unnamed health condition including palpitation due to his weight.

Ojukwu also told the court that the offence which the defendant is charged is a misdeamenour with the prescribed punishment ranging from a fine of N50,000 or an imprisonment term of six months.

He therefore urged the court to grant bail on very liberal terms to the defendant as he is a first offender with no past criminal records.

Ojukwu also informed the court that the defendant is an employer of labour with over 1000 employees on his payroll, who are dependent on their jobs, and urged the court to grant his application as moved.

While ruling on submission, Justice Ogundare, granted the bail application and adjourned the case till May 2 for ruling.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now