Naira Abuse Trial: Cubana granted ₦10m bail, pleads not guilty to charges; Portable begs EFCC not to arrest him

Federal High Court Justice Kehinde Ogundare in Lagos State has granted businessman and socialite Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, bail of ₦10 million with two sureties of equal value.

According to The Nation, the celebrity barman pleaded not guilty to charges of tampering with and abusing the Nigerian currency during his trial.

Cubana Chief Priest appeared before Justice Kehinde Ogundare, facing three charges related to the alleged abuse of the naira by spraying and tampering with it at a social event, which goes against the Central Bank Act of 2007. The incident allegedly occurred on February 13, 2024, at Eko Hotel.

The infraction reported to have been committed while dancing in a social event, claims he used funds consisting of ₦500 notes provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria to spray congregants for two hours.

According to the court document as quoted by Channels TV, count 1 of the charges alleged that “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 ₦500 (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”.

It was alleged in count 2, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of ₦500 (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 3 alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of ₦500 (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”.

Meanwhile as a fallout, Portable has taken to social media to make his case with the EFCC as they begin their campaign to prosecute Nigerians that mutilate the naira note which includes spraying it.

Portable, a singer and frequent offender has publicly pleaded with the EFCC not to prosecute him for his previous actions. In an Instagram live session on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, the musician encouraged his fans whom he usually throw wads of cash at while performing or on the streets to open bank accounts. He said that he would stick to transferring money to their bank accounts.

“I didn’t deface the Naira. I help a lot of people, after God na government, please forgive me if you have videos of me spraying money, no more spraying of money. My fans, if I no longer spray money, after God na government, no more spraying of money. If it’s about money, open bank accounts, and let’s make transfers,” he said.

This comes barely a week after the EFCC prosecuted the popular socialite Idris Okuneye known publicly as Bobrisky for mutilating the naira. Bobrisky was eventually sentenced to 6 months in prison without any option for fine.