A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, June 5 further adjourned until June 25 for mention, a case against celebrity bartender Pascal Okechukwu better known as Cubana Chief Priest, for alleged abuse of the Naira.
Pascal Okechukwu was charged with three counts of allegedly spraying and tampering with Naira notes during a social event at the Eko hotel in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on April 17. Following his plea of not guilty to the allegations, Cubana Chief Priest was given a 10 million Naira bail.
The defense attorney, Mr. Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), told the court during the most recent postponed date of May 2 that the parties were in the process of settling the case and that they had requested that it be done so in accordance with Section 14(2) of the EFCC Act.
After the position, defense attorneys requested that the preliminary objection be withdrawn, and the court approved their request because the prosecution had not objected. As a result, the court postponed the case until today, June 5, in order to receive a report on the settlement. On Wednesday, however, reporters learned that the defense had sent a letter requesting a postponement of the trial.
The case has now been fixed for June 25 for mention.
In the charge, the defendant was said to have tampered with the funds in the denomination of N500, while dancing at the social event in Eko Hotel.
The offence contravenes the provisions of section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act of 2007
The judicial proceedings surrounding the lawsuit against Cubana Chief Priest are garnering a lot of attention as it approaches its next June 25th court appearance. The outcome of this case, whether it comes from a court decision or an extrajudicial settlement, will probably have a long-term impact on how Naira misuse is viewed and dealt with in Nigeria. All eyes are still on the Federal High Court in Lagos and the ongoing negotiations between the legal team of Cubana Chief Priest and the EFCC. The result will not only affect the well-known bartender, but it may also influence future legal and cultural standards on how Naira and other national symbols are treated. The case serves as a potent reminder of the relationship between law, culture, and finance while we wait for additional developments.