The former manager of gospel artiste, Mercy Chinwo, has been arraigned at the federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos over an alleged fraud of 397,106 US dollars.
Ezekiel ThankGod, also known as Eezee Tee pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge before the presiding judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in counts one to three, the defendant and his company, EEZEE GLOBAL CONCEPTS LIMITED, between 2021 and 2023, while not being an authorized buyer of foreign exchange currency appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria negotiated forex transactions totalling 141,670 USD with certain persons at various intervals.
The alleged offences are said to be contrary to sections 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.
He’s also accused in counts 5, 6 and 7 of failing to submit to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering a declaration of his company’s activities between 2022 and 2024, within which period the total sum of $255,436 was paid into his firm’s bank account.
The offences are said to be contrary to sections 6(1) (a), 19(1)(f) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under section 19 (2)(b) of the same Act.
The EFCC also alleges in count 4 that sometime in October 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, both defendants engaged in a foreign exchange transaction other than through the official foreign exchange market, an offence contrary to section 11(1)(a) of the National Economic Intelligence Committee Establishment, (ETC) Act, 1994 and punishable under section 11(2) of the same Act.
After arraignment, his bail application was argued by lead defence counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), who told the judge there have been a series of settlement talks with the defendant, the EFCC and the nominal complainant, Mercy Chinwo. He added that the dispute is contractual in nature.
While arguing the bail applications, the senior counsel pleaded that the first defendant be released to his custody pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions.
But, this was opposed by the EFCC Counsel, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala, she argued that the music promoter, who has been on administrative bail by the agency, had not been honouring its further invitations.
The judge fixed Friday, May 9 to deliver its ruling on the bail applications and released the defendant to his counsel, to be produced in court by the next date.
