The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, arraign popular businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, fondly called Cubana Chief Priest, over alleged naira abuse.

Cubana Chief Priest will be arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

The Star recalls that the EFCC said it was investigating several celebrities involved in naira abuse.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Sunday, April 14, disclosed that many celebrities in the country have made useful statements to the commission.

Oyewale added that many celebrities have been invited by investigators working on the matter.

“The EFCC will not relent in its no-sacred-cow mode of operations and the public should be wary of running afoul of laws against the crime,” he stressed.

It was however gathered that Cubana Chief Priest will be arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on a three-count charge of allegedly spraying and tampering with the local currency at a social event contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

EFCC probes celebrities for naira abuse

In the charge filed on April 4 by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), and seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the anti-graft agency, it was alleged that “Okechukwu Pascal on February 13, 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.”

Count two of the charge read: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 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 three read: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying the same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.”

The latest development comes a few days after a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State sentenced popular cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, well known as Bobrisky, to six months imprisonment over naira abuse.

Bobrisky was prosecuted by the EFCC.

The Star