Popular Nigerian celebrity and businessman, Pascal Okechukwu, best known as Cubana Chief Priest, is seeking for an out-of-court settlement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in response to the charge of Naira abuse levelled against him by the anti-graft agency at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
According to CHANNELS TELEVISION report, Cubana Chief Priest lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, stated this during proceedings on Thursday, May 2.
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 stated that if 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.
In response, the trial judge, Justice Kehinde Ogundare subsequently adjourned the case until June 5, for a report of settlement.
Recall that 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.
