A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Wednesday, asked that socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, otherwise known as Cubana Chief Priest submit his international passport as part of conditions for bail.
Okechukwu was then granted N10m bail with two sureties in like sum, on charges of tampering with and abusing Nigeria’s currency, the naira.
Okechukwu had pleaded not guilty to the offence.
Okechukwu who is a celebrated social media icon was arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on three counts of abuse of naira by spraying and tampering with the currency at a social event, which runs contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.
The offence was alleged to have been committed by Okechukwu, while he was dancing at an event on February 13, 2024, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, a popular recreational centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.
He was said to have sprayed currency notes of the N500 denomination at the said event.
Following his plea of not guilty, the court granted Cubana Chief Priest bail in the sum of ₦10 million. This bail requires two responsible sureties each in like sum who must be gainfully employed with either the federal or state government, holding positions not below grade level 16.
Additionally, the sureties are required to possess landed property, the documentation of which must be verified by the court.
As part of the bail conditions, Cubana Chief Priest must surrender his travel passport to the custody of the court.
These bail conditions are to be fulfilled within seven days. In the interim, he has been released into the custody of his lawyer, who must provide an undertaking to ensure Cubana Chief Priest’s appearance in court at the designated times. Failure to do so may result in his remand in a correctional facility.
