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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as Thankgod, a former manager of gospel singer Mercy Chinwo, and his company, Eezee Global Concepts Limited, before the Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged money laundering amounting to $255,446.
Ezekiel was arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on engaging in foreign exchange transactions without a license.
Prosecuting counsel, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala, told Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke that in June 2023, the defendant, without being an authorized foreign exchange dealer appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), negotiated a foreign exchange transaction worth $52,895 with one Mr. Oladotun Olaobaju Mureke.
This, according to her, violates Sections 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 defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, Buhari-Bala urged the court to remand him in the Nigerian Correctional Service facility pending trial.
However, defence counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN, informed the court that he had filed a bail application dated February 28, 2025.
In arguing for bail, Ojukwu said that the defendant’s two children are ill and that he is the only one available to care for them.
He urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms and also requested that the defendant be released to him pending the fulfillment of bail conditions.
The prosecution opposed the bail application, stating that the defendant had previously evaded service of the charge and still has a subsisting arrest warrant against him.
“My lord, this defendant has been evading service, and there is still a subsisting arrest warrant against him. It is our firm position that he does not deserve to be granted bail. However, the court may consider ordering an accelerated hearing,” Buhari-Bala submitted.
Justice Aneke reserved ruling on the bail application until May 9, 2025, and temporarily handed the defendant over to his counsel, as requested.
The EFCC alleged that in March 2021, Ezekiel and Eezee Global Concepts negotiated a foreign exchange deal worth $70,000 with Avalan Chetrase 1307 Company, without authorization from the CBN. In October 2022, they allegedly engaged in another illegal forex transaction involving $18,775 with one Gift Ugochi Christopher.
The commission further accused Ezekiel and his company of failing to submit mandatory declarations of their financial activities to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) in 2022, during which $65,703 allegedly flowed through their account.
According to the EFCC, similar failures occurred in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, they allegedly failed to declare financial activities involving $52,350 paid into their Zenith Bank account (No. 5070522520), and in 2024, failed again after receiving $137,383 through the same account.
These actions are said to contravene Sections 6(1)(a) and 19(1)(f) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and are punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.
