Hotelier and club owner, Pascal Okechukwu, a.k.a. Cubana Chief Priest, will today be answering a three-count charge of naira abuse and money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Cubana’s arraignment is happening the week following the EFCC’s successful prosecution and securing conviction for Lagos socialite and cross-dresser Idris Okuneye better known as Bobrisky on similar charges.
Bobrisky bagged six months in jail, without the option of a fine.
Specifically, video evidence allegedly showed Cubana Chief Priest spray-painting and tampering with naira bundles and notes at a party, thus violating the Central Bank Act of 2007.
He has been in EFCC custody since Monday, pursuant to being hauled before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court, Lagos, today, Wednesday, April 17th.
A copy of the charge, filed on April 4 by EFFC’s Prosecuting Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) showed that Count 1, read: “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 N500 (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.”
Count 2 alleged: “That you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, 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 for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.”
