Leadnaija
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed new charges against gospel music executive and former manager of Mercy Chinwo, Ezekiel Onyedikachi, popularly known as EeZeeTee, over alleged violations of Nigeria’s foreign exchange regulations and financial disclosure laws.
In an amended eight-count charge presented on Wednesday before the Federal High Court in Lagos, the EFCC accused EeZeeTee, Chief Executive Officer of EeZee Global Concept Ltd, of failing to report financial transactions to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) and of conducting unauthorized foreign exchange deals between 2022 and 2023.
The commission alleged that the company received $255,436 during the period in question and cited specific transactions as evidence of regulatory breaches.
One charge read: “That you, Ezekiel Onyedikachi and EeZee Global Concept Ltd, sometime in June 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, not being an authorized buyer of foreign currency appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria under Section 5(1) of the Foreign Exchange Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, CAP F34 LFN 2004, negotiated a foreign exchange transaction to wit: the naira equivalent of the sum of $52,895 with Mr. Oladotun Olaobaju Mureke.”
Another count involved a separate forex transaction of $18,775 allegedly conducted with one Gift Ugochi Christopher outside official channels.
EeZeeTee pleaded not guilty to all charges when arraigned. His lead counsel, Chief Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, stating that talks were already underway for an amicable settlement.
Prosecution counsel Bilikisu Buhari objected, requesting the court to remand the defendant until a decision on bail is made.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke adjourned ruling on the bail application to May 9, 2025 but ordered that the defendant be released temporarily to his lawyer.
Outside the courtroom, brief tension arose when EFCC operatives attempted to rearrest EeZeeTee at the gate.
The situation was swiftly resolved following the intervention of a senior EFCC official, and the defendant departed peacefully.
This development comes after the EFCC quietly dropped earlier allegations of misappropriating funds linked to Mercy Chinwo, shifting focus to regulatory and forex-related offences.
