The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, arraigned a music promoter, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu ThankGod (a.k.a. Eezee Tee), before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos
ThankGod, alongside his company, Eezee Global Concepts Limited, is standing trial on an amended seven-count charge bordering on alleged foreign exchange malpractice and money laundering to the tune of $397,106 (Three Hundred and Ninety-Seven Thousand, One Hundred and Six United States Dollars).
The defendant was previously standing trial before Justice Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, before the matter was reassigned to Justice Aneke.
One of the counts reads: “That you, EZEKIEL ONYEDIKACHUWU THANKGOD and EEZEE GLOBAL CONCEPTS LIMITED, sometime in June 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, not being an authorized buyer of foreign exchange currency appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria under Section 5(1) of 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 $52,895.00 (Fifty Two Thousand, Eight Hundred Ninety Five ) with Mr. Oladotun Olaobaju Mureke and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 5 and 29(1)(c) of the Foreign Exchange Monitoring and Miscellaneous (Provisions) Act Cap F34 LFN 2004 and punishable under Section 29(2) of the same Act.”
Another count reads: “That you, EZEKIEL ONYEDIKACHUWU THANKGOD and EEZEE GLOBAL CONCEPTS LIMITED, sometime in 2024 ,Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, failed to submit to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering a declaration of your activities of the said company within which period the
total sum of $137,383 (One Hundred and Thirty Seven Thousand, Three Hundred and Eighty Three United States Dollars) paid into EEZEE CONCEPTS LIMITED account number 5070522520 domiciled in Zenith Bank, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 6(1)(a) and 19(1)(f) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Bilkisu Buhari-Bala, prayed for a trial date and also asked that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre.
The defence counsel, Chikaozolu Ojukwu, however, prayed that his client be granted bail “in the most liberal terms” and be released to him if granted bail.
Responding, Buhari-Bala told the court that “the prosecution filed a 16-paragraph counter-affidavit, deposed to by Mohammed Adamu, an investigator with the EFCC, on the 4th of March 2025, urging the court to refuse the prayers of the defence.”
She argued that the defendant refused to accept service on several occasions and that all efforts to have him report himself at the EFCC office proved abortive.
She, therefore, opposed the release of the defendant to his counsel, adding that the music promoter, who had been on an administrative bail granted him by the Commission, had not been honouring further invitations.
Justice Aneke adjourned ruling on the bail application till May 9, 2025 and released the defendant to his counsel.
