The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has removed gospel singer Mercy Chinwo’s name from its amended charges against gospel music executive Ezekiel Onyedikachi, popularly known as EeZeeTee.
The EFCC initially charged EeZeeTee, CEO of EeZee Global Concept Ltd, with fraudulently converting Chinwo’s earnings.
However, on Wednesday, the commission filed a new eight-count charge against EeZeeTee, accusing him of failing to disclose the company’s financial transactions and engaging in unauthorised foreign exchange deals between 2022 and 2023.
According to the EFCC, the company received $255,436 throughout that period without making required disclosures to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering.
The commission determined that Onyedikachi and EeZee Global Concept Ltd, while not an authorised buyer of foreign currency appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, negotiated a foreign exchange transaction with Mr Oladotun Mureke in the naira equivalent of $52,895.
The EFCC further claimed that EeZeeTee engaged in another foreign exchange transaction worth $18,775 with Gift Ugochi Christopher, bypassing the legal foreign exchange markets.
However, EeZeeTee pleaded not guilty on all counts.
The defendant’s counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), told the court that a bail application had already been submitted and served on the EFCC.
He urged the judge to grant release on generous terms, noting that both sides were negotiating an out-of-court solution.
However, the EFCC’s attorney, Bilikisu Buhari, contested the bail request and requested the court to remand the defendant until a decision on the bail application was made.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who presided over the case, enquired about how the defendant came to court.
While the EFCC claimed an arrest warrant had been issued, Ojukwu contended that his client had been granted administrative release and had willingly attended in court.
He further stated that there were no records of any EFCC invitations being disregarded.
Justice Aneke postponed the decision on the bail application until May 9, 2025, and ordered that EeZeeTee be released to his counsel in the meanwhile.
Drama unfolded outside the courtroom when agents of the Commission tried to re-arrest EeZeeTee at the courthouse entrance.
The crisis was resolved with the intervention of a senior official, allowing the defendant to leave the premises without incident.
