Money-Na-Water Celebrity barman, Pascal Okechukwu aka Cubana Chief who displayed wads of dollars on Tuesday at a carnival like wedding ceremony of Davido and Chioma tagged Chivido; has been set free by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State after he agreed with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to pay the sum of ₦10 million as out of court settlement for spraying Nigeria Naira notes.

EFCC in a statement said the Court acted inline with the law establishing EFCC in the year 2004.

Same offence, well known cross dresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky was convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment with no option of fine. Bobrisky is currently serving his jail term at Nigeria Prison or Correctional Centre in Lagos state since April, 2024.

EFCC in a statement issued on Tuesday defended its action and supported the action of the Court on the ground that Cubana ChiefPriest agreed to pay ₦10 million, an amount the commission said it’s far more higher than the stipulated penalty fee of ₦50,000 if the Celebrity barman was convicted and given an option of fine.

“Consequent on the judgment of Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on the terms of settlement of the three-count charges bordering on abuse of Naira notes preferred against Okechukwu Pascal (alias Cubana Chief Priest) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, it is needful to emphasise that the Commission acted in line with Section 14 (2) of its Establishment Act, 2004.

This Section of the EFCC’s Establishment Act empowers the Commission to compound any offence, subject to provisions of Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by “accepting such sum of money as it deems fit exceeding the maximum amount by which the offender would have been liable if he had been convicted”.

To this end, the ₦10,000,000 the court fined Cubana Chief Priest far exceeded the ₦50,000 his offence carries. This is in response to the application made to the EFCC by counsel to the defendant, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN, seeking the compounding of the offences under Section 14 (2) of the EFCC Act.

Additionally, Cubana Chief Priest would henceforth lead rigorous and intensive sensitization or campaign against abuse of coins and notes issued under the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Act.

The court also ruled that, “the defendant shall bi-monthly post on his various social media handles a minimum of two video clips of his sensitization/ campaign against abuse of naira and sundry offences”.

All of these are strict deterrence meant to separate Cubana Chief Priest from future desecration of the Naira.

The Special Task Force against Naira Abuse and Dollarisation of the economy is still in place. The Commission remains undeterred in the pursuit of its lawful mandate and the court’s ruling on Cubana Chief Priest should stimulate enhanced commitment of Nigerians to defend the sanctity of the Naira and refrain from any infraction against the nation’s legal tender”, EFCC statement ends in quote.

We had earlier reported that the lawyer to the popular celebrity barman, Pascal Okechukwu aka Cubana Chiefpriest has informed the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State of Nigeria of the plan of the socialite to enter plea bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over his trial at the court as a result of him spraying naira notes which the EFCC accused him of abusing and mutilating the currency.

Cubana Chiefpriest lawyer had made this known at the court sitting, according to the news release made available by the public relations department of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

“Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, May 2,  2024 adjourned further hearing in the trial of   Pascal Okechukwu, aka Cubana Chiefpriest till June 5, 2024.

Okejukwu was arraigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 by the EFCC on a three-count charge 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 ₦500 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 ₦500 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 a plan of his client to enter 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″, EFCC news release reads in quote.