Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has pleaded not guilty to alleged naira abuse.

He entered his plea for the three-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The social media personality was arraigned at the Federal High Court in Lagos before Justice Kehinde Ogundare. The charges stem from accusations of misusing Naira notes at a social event, which is said to violate the Central Bank Act of 2007.

After pleading not guilty, the court granted him bail set at ₦10m with two sureties in like sum, who must be gainfully employed with the federal or state government at not less than grade level 16. The sureties must possess landed property, the documents of which must be verified by the court.

Cubana Chief Priest is also required to submit his travel passport to the court. Bail conditions must be met within seven days, and in the meantime, he was released to his lawyer, who must provide an undertaking to produce him later. Failure to do so will result in remand in a correctional facility.

A copy of the charges filed on April 4th by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) along with seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission was obtained. The charges include allegations of tampering with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying them during social events.

This development follows the recent arraignment of controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky, on similar charges, for which he was sentenced to a six-month jail term.