NAIRA ABUSE: Nigerian High Court Adjourns Trial Of Cubana Chief Priest Till June 5

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Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, adjourned further hearing in the trial of Pascal Okechukwu popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest till June 5, 2024.

Okechukwu was arraigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 by the EFCC on three counts bordering on abuse of the Naira.

One of the counts reads: That you, Okechukwu Pascal, on 13th February, 2024, at Eko Hotel Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable 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, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

Another count reads: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal, sometime in 2020, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, 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 Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

At the resumed sitting of the court on Thursday, Okechukwu through his lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), told the court about  his client's plan to negotiate a plea bargain with the EFCC.

Ojukwu also sought to withdraw his earlier preliminary objection filed on April 24, 2024, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the charge. "In the interest of justice, we are urging the court to strike out the motion because the prosecution has not responded to it,” he said.

The prosecution counsel did not oppose the withdraw of the application.

Consequently, Justice Ogundare struck out the application, having been withdrawn by the defence, and also adjourned the case till June 5, 2024.

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