Cubana Chief Priest Bows to EFCC, Opts for Settlement

 

Social media personality, Okechukwu Pascal a.k.a Cubana Chief Priest has opted for out-of-court settlement with the prosecution agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged Naira Abuse and mutilation, an allegation contrary to to the CBN Act of 2007.

This was brought to the notice of the court today by his counsel Chikoso Ojukwu, SAN, informing the court that he withdrawn two applications challenging the authority of the court and jurisdiction of the trial court.

Ojukwu had in the two applications filed before Justice K. O. Ogundara averred that the charges were miscellaneous offences which fall under the purview of the Nigeria Police Force(NPF) to prosecute and not the EFCC.

But today’s hearing, Cubana Chief Priest, in three hundred and sixty degrees ate his words by withdraw his applications.

According to the learned silk, said that the EFCC had given him the leave to inform the court about the status of the matter before his lordship.

“My Lord, the Prosecutor said we should inform the court about the status of the case.

“We are for settlement of the case based on Section 412 of the EFCC establishment Act to compound the matter.

“If the EFCC agrees, we will withdraw our applications to allow for compounding of the applications”, he said.

The EFCC prosecutor, represented by Bilkisu Buhari confirmed receipt of the applications to withdraw the applications but said that the Defendant’s application is still under consideration by the commission.

The Senior Advocate, representing Cubana Chief Priest thereafter said:
“ My Lord, we apply to withdraw notice of preliminary objections filed, one on 17th April 2024 and the other on 24th April, 2024. But the prosecution is yet to respond.”

He prayed the court to strike out the applications in the interest of justice to enable his client to pursue settlement with the commission.

Bilkusu Buhari, representing the EFCC said, “We are not opposing”.
Justice K.O. Ogundare ruled that based on the applications before the court, “the preliminary objections filed by the defence dated 17.4.2024 and 24.4.2024 are hereby struck out”.
He then fixed 5th of June 2024 for report settlement.