EFCC Arraigns Mercy Chinwo’s Ex-Manager Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu

He was brought before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on a seven-count charge bordering on an alleged $255,446 money laundering scheme.

Mr Onyedikachukwu, who runs a record label known as EeZee Conceptz, was accused of committing an offense, which contravenes Sections 5 and 29(1)(c) of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap F34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and is punishable under Section 29(2) of the same law.

The EFCC, which brought the suspect and his company, Eezee Global Concepts Limited, before Justice Aneke through its counsel, Ms Bilikisu Buhari-Bala, said in June 2023, the music executive, “without being an authorized foreign exchange dealer appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), negotiated a foreign exchange transaction worth $52,895 with one Mr. Oladotun Olaobaju Mureke.”

It was further argued that in March 2021, the defendant conducted an unauthorized $70,000 forex transaction with Avalan Chetrase 1307 Company and in October 2022, executed a transaction of $18,775 with one Gift Ugochi Christopher.

Also, the anti-money laundering agency alleged that the suspects received $65,703 without declaration, and in 2023 and 2024, received $52,350 and $137,383, respectively, without filing the mandatory financial disclosures with the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML).

However, Mr Onyedikachukwu pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting Ms Buhari-Bala to request his remand in a correctional facility pending trial, which his counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN) opposed, informing the court of a bail application dated February 28, 2025.

In his ruling, Justice Aneke temporarily released the defendant to his lawyer as demanded, fixing May 9, 2025, for ruling on the bail application.