Popular celebrity bartender and businessman, Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, is exploring an out-of-court settlement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with respect to the charge of Naira abuse levelled against him by the anti-graft agency at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
His lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, disclosed this to trial judge, Justice Kehinde Ogundare at the proceedings on Thursday.
The defence counsel also told the court that parties have applied that the matter be settled pursuant to the provisions of section 14(2) of the EFCC Act.
Chikaosolu said that if the EFCC confirms the position as true, then there will be a need to apply for a withdrawal of the defence’s preliminary objection to allow for a reconciliation.
The EFCC prosecutor, Mrs Bilikisu Buhari, confirmed the position as stated by the defence counsel and told the court that the Commission was still considering the application.
Following this confirmation, the defence counsel then applied for a withdrawal of the preliminary objection and with no objections from the prosecution and the court granted same.
Justice Ogundare subsequently adjourned the case until June 5, for a report of settlement.
On April 17, the EFCC arraigned Cubana Chief Priest before the court on a three counts of allegedly spraying and tampering with Naira notes during a social event at the Eko hotel in Lagos
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N10m with two responsible sureties in like sum each.
The court said the sureties must be gainfully employed with the Federal Government or State Government and must not be less than grade level 16 officers.
The sureties are also to have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court and the documents of the property must be verified by the prosecution and the court.
He is also to submit his travel passport to the custody of the court.
The bail conditions must be perfected within seven days but in the meantime he was released to his lawyer who must give an undertaken to produce him in court for his trial. Failure to do so, he will be remanded in correctional facility
