The Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned the trial of celebrity bartender Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, to June 25, 2024.
Okechukwu faces three counts of alleged abuse of Naira notes.
Okechukwu was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on April 17, 2024, for allegedly spraying and tampering with Naira notes during a social event at Eko Hotel in Lagos. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail set at N10 million.
At the previous hearing on May 2, Okechukwu’s defence counsel, Mr. Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), informed the court that both parties were exploring a settlement under Section 14(2) of the EFCC Act.
Ojukwu highlighted the potential for a plea bargain agreement, which was confirmed by the EFCC counsel, Bilkisu Buhari. Ojukwu requested a short adjournment to report back on the settlement progress and withdrew a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction, a motion which the court subsequently struck out. The case was then adjourned to June 5, 2024, for a settlement report.
However, during the hearing on Wednesday, Justice Kehinde Ogundare was informed that Okechukwu’s counsel, Mr. Chikaosolu Ojukwu, was unable to attend and had requested another adjournment. Consequently, the case was rescheduled to June 25, 2024, for mention.
The EFCC’s charges allege that Okechukwu tampered with N500 notes while dancing at a social event, an act which contravened Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act of 2007.
For more news https://lagostalks.com/news/
