Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission is set to arraign popular Nigeria socialite Okechukwu Pascal aka Cubana Chief Priest in court on Wednesday.
Nigeriacrime.com learned that the allegations brought against Cubana were submitted on April 4th by EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) and a team of seven other lawyers representing the Commission’s Chairman.
In Count 1, it was alleged, “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”.
In count 2, it was 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”.
In Count 3, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, 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 and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.
The court hearing happened shortly after the EFCC brought charges against the well-known cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, popularly referred to as Bobrisky, for comparable offenses and handed down a six-month jail term.
In a related development, the Director
General of National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on its drive against all forms of Naira abuse.
Onilu gave the commendation in Abuja in a letter addressed to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede. According to him, the actions being taken by the Commission against Naira abuse amount to the “preservation of the integrity of the national currency, the Naira.”
“On behalf of the management and staff of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), I write to commend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and especially the Chairman, for the recent actions of the Commission with regard to the preservation of the integrity of the National Currency, the Naira”.
“The arrest of cross-dresser Idris Okuneye also known as Bobrisky over the abuse of the naira accords with our objective to stop the abuse of the naira and other national symbols”, he said.
Already, the EFCC has secured 24 convictions across the country on the issue of Naira Abuse while those facing prosecution across the Commission’s 14 Zonal Commands and corporate headquarters are 200.
Onilu expressed hope that the arrests and prosecutions would “serve as a deterrent to other Nigerians who still abuse the Naira”, and assured the EFCC of his agency’s stronger support in the initiative. “Count on us strongly in this fight to stop the abuse of the Naira and other national symbols. It is our hope and aspiration that jointly, we shall win this fight,” he said.
Olukoyede had on February 7, 2024, raised a Special Task Force against currency racketeering, dollarization of the Nigerian economy, abuse and mutilation of naira notes at the Commission’s headquarters and zonal commands.