By Uche Amunike
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has dropped successful gospel musician, Mercy Chinwo’s name from its amended charges against the CEO of EeZee Global Concept Limited, Ezekiel Onyedikachi, popularly known as EeZeeTee.
Recall that the EFCC had earlier accused the gospel music executive, of fraudulently converting Mercy Chinwo’s earnings.
During proceedings on Wednesday, at the Federal High Court in Lagos, however, the EFCC filed a fresh 8-count charge, shifting attention to alleged breaches of financial regulations.
In the amended charges, EeZeeTee was accused of failing to disclose the company’s financial transactions and being involved in unauthorized foreign exchange deals between 2022 and 2023.
According to the anti-graft agency, the company received $255,436 at the time, without making the necessary disclosures to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering.
They also disclosed that Onyedikachi of EeZee Global Concept Limited, sometime in June 2023 in Lagos, negotiated a foreign exchange transaction to the Naira equivalent of the sum of $52,895 with Mr. Oladokun Mureke , unauthorized buyer of foreign currency appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The EFCC also alleged that EeZeeTee was involved in another foreign exchange transaction worth $18,775 with one Gift Ugochi Christopher. He was said to have bypassed the official foreign exchange market during this transaction.
EeZeeTee, however pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Speaking, the defendant’s counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu SAN), however, told the court that a bail application has already been filed and served the EFCC on February 28, 2025.
He appealed to the court to grant bail on liberal terms, stating that both parties were exploring a settlement out of court.
Council to the EFCC, Bilikisu Buhari, has however opposed the bail request and asked the court to remand the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Service facility, until a ruling is delivered on the bail application.
Presiding over the matter was Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who demanded to be clarified on how the defendant came to court.
Bilikisu Buhari-Bala told Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke that negotiating a foreign exchange transaction without being an authorized foreign exchange dealer appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria violates Section 5 and 29(1)(c) of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap F34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and is punishable under section 29(2) of the same Act.
The EFCC claimed that an arrest warrant had been issued, even as Ojukwu argued that his client had been granted administrative bail and voluntarily appeared in court. He also stated that there was no record of any invitation from the EFCC that was ignored.
Justice Aneke adjourned the ruling on the bail application to May 9, 2025. He also ordered that EeZeeTee be released to his counsel in the meantime.
Outside the courtroom however, the drama unfolded as EFCC operatives made an attempt to rearrest EeZeeTee at the court’s gates.
After the intervention of a senior EFCC official, who put the situation under control, the defendant was able to leave the premises without incident.
