The Federal High Court in Lagos has granted bail to Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, better known as ThankGod or EeZeeTee, the former manager of popular gospel singer Mercy Chinwo, in the sum of ₦20 million following his arraignment over alleged foreign exchange and money laundering offences amounting to $397,106.
Presiding Judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, ruled on Friday that EeZeeTee must present one surety residing in Lagos, who owns a property equivalent in value to the bail amount.
The court gave the embattled music executive 72 hours to meet the condition. In the meantime, EeZeeTee was released into the custody of his lawyer, Mr. Ojukwu Chikaosolu.
EeZeeTee, who is also the CEO of EeZee Global Concepts Limited, is facing a seven-count amended charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), involving unauthorized foreign exchange transactions and failure to declare financial activities, in violation of Nigerian financial laws.
According to EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala, one of the offences was committed in June 2023, when EeZeeTee allegedly negotiated a foreign exchange transaction worth $52,895 with one Mr. Oladotun Olaobaju Mureke—without obtaining the required authorization from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This contravenes Sections 5 and 29(1)(c) of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, and is punishable under Section 29(2) of the same Act.
In another count, the EFCC accused EeZeeTee and his company of failing to declare business activities between 2023 and 2024, during which $137,383 was allegedly paid into the company’s account at Zenith Bank without reporting to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML)—a violation of Sections 6(1)(a) and 19(1)(f) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The music promoter, who once played a key role in the success of Mercy Chinwo and other gospel artists, pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to him in court.
This is not EeZeeTee’s first time in the dock. The case was previously before Justice Owoeye, but has since been reassigned to Justice Aneke.
The matter has been adjourned until June 20, 2025, for trial proceedings to continue.