Renowned Instagram personality Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, has entered a plea of not guilty in response to allegations of naira abuse. He faced a three-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and appeared before Justice Kehinde Ogundare at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday.
The charges stemmed from accusations that Cubana Chief Priest engaged in naira abuse at a social gathering, a purported violation of the Central Bank Act of 2007. Following his plea of not guilty, the court granted him bail set at ₦10 million, requiring two reliable sureties employed at federal or state government levels, with a minimum grade level of 16 and ownership of landed property verified by the court. Additionally, Cubana Chief Priest must surrender his travel passport to the court's custody.
He has seven days to fulfill the bail conditions, during which he has been released to his lawyer's custody under an undertaking to ensure his presence. Failure to comply could result in remand in a correctional facility.
The charges detail instances where Cubana Chief Priest allegedly dispersed funds of N500 denomination during social events, violating the Central Bank Act. The defendant also indicated his intention to contest the court's jurisdiction over the matter, prompting Justice Ogundare to schedule a hearing for May 2nd.
This development follows the recent arraignment of controversial figure Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, by the EFCC on similar charges, resulting in a six-month jail sentence.
