The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has amended charges against gospel music executive producer, Ezekiel Onyedikachi, popularly known as EeZeeTee; Mercy Chinwo’s manager —and removed Mercy Chinwo from the new charges.
In a fresh court hearing presided over by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, at the Lagos Federal High Court on Wednesday, the EFCC amended its charges against the defendant refusing bail application.
The amended charges include an eight-count charge that centers on breach of financial regulation —where EeZeeTee was accused of failing to disclose the company’s financial transactions and engaging in un-authorised foreign exchange deals in 2022 and 2023.
EFCC had initially accused the manager of fraudulently converting Chinwo’s earnings while she was on contract with his company.
During the court proceedings, the commission, contrary to the initial charges — alleged that the EeZee Global Concept Ltd within the aforementioned period, received $255,436 but seized to make proper disclosures to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering.
It maintained that the defendant and his company had, around June 2023, in Lagos, —negotiated a foreign exchange transaction of $52,895 in naira with Mr. Oladotun Mureke — even though he(Eezee) is not a CBN authorised buyer of foreign currency.
In another instance, the commission also said that the defendant had bypassed the official foreign exchange market — initiating another foreign exchange transaction worth $18,775 with one Gift Ugochi Christopher.
However, while the defendant pleaded not guilty, his legal counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), applied for bail on liberal terms — on the ground that both parties would settle outside the court —stating also that an application had already been filed on the EFCC.
The counsel to the EFCC, Bilikisu Buhari, would oppose the bail application asking the court to remand the defendant while they deliberate on the bail application and release him when a ruling is delivered.
However, when Justice Aneke would ask the EFCC how it came to court, it said an arrest warrant was issued while Ojukwu said the defendant voluntarily appeared in court.
Against all attempts to remand the defendant, Justice Aneke adjourned the ruling on the bail application to May 9, 2025, and ordered EeZeeTee’s release.
However, the EFCC tried to re-arrest the defendant at the court’s gate before a senior official intervened.
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