Court Grants ₦20 Million Bail to Mercy Chinwo’s Former Manager, EeZeeTee, Over Alleged $397,000 Forex Fraud
The Federal High Court in Lagos has granted bail to Ezekiel ThankGod Onyedikachukwu, popularly known as EeZeeTee, former manager of gospel artist Mercy Chinwo, in the sum of ₦20 million following allegations of involvement in a $397,106 foreign exchange fraud.
Presiding over the case on Friday, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke ruled that the bail must be backed by a surety who resides in Lagos and owns property of equivalent value. The court gave EeZeeTee 72 hours to fulfill the bail conditions. Until then, he has been released into the custody of his lawyer, Mr. Ojukwu Chikaosolu.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had initially filed a 14-count charge against EeZeeTee, accusing him of fraudulent conversion. However, the charges were later amended to seven counts, focused on unlicensed foreign exchange transactions and money laundering.
According to the EFCC, EeZeeTee, alongside his company EeZee Global Concepts Limited, allegedly engaged in illegal forex dealings in violation of Sections 5 and 29(1)(c) of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap F34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The offense is punishable under Section 29(2) of the same Act.
EeZeeTee has pleaded not guilty to all amended charges. The court has scheduled the next hearing for June 20, 2025.
The music executive was originally arraigned before Justice Owoeye, but the case was subsequently reassigned to Justice Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
