Naira Abuse: Court Mandates Cubana Chief Priest To Forfeit ₦10m, Lead Anti-Naira Mutilation Campaign |
The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered celebrity bartender and businessman Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, to forfeit ₦10 million to the Federal Government as a fine for alleged abuse of the Naira.
According to Channels TV, this decision was part of a settlement agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which was presented before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on Tuesday.
During the proceedings, EFCC counsel Bilkisu Buhari-Bala informed the court that both parties had reached an out-of-court settlement, which was duly signed.
Defendant’s counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Chikaosolu Ojukwu, commended the EFCC’s reasonable approach in resolving the matter. He stated that the defendant is remorseful and committed to changing his ways.
Ojukwu further noted that the settlement would result in the dismissal of the charges.
In his ruling, Justice Ogundare adopted the settlement terms and struck out the charge.
The settlement agreement, pursuant to Section 14 (2) of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004, included several key points:
– “The agreement applies only to the findings relating to contraventions of the law contained in the pending charge preferred against the defendant.
– “The defendant shall enter into a bond with the EFCC to be of good behaviour and never indulge in any Economic and Financial Crime or related offences.
– “The Defendant shall engage in rigorous and intensive sensitisation and/or campaign against the abuse of coins and notes issued under the CBN Act as legal tender.
– “The defendant shall bi-monthly post on his various social media handles a minimum of two video clips of his sensitisation/campaign against abuse of naira and sundry offences.
– “The defendant shall pay to the consolidated revenue fund of the Federation such sum not below the sum of Ten million naira (N10,000,000:00) only upon the execution of this agreement.”
