EFCC Arraigns Popular Music Promoter Eezee Tee, Company for Alleged $397,000 Forex and Money Laundering Offences in Lagos
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned a prominent music promoter, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu ThankGod, popularly known as Eezee Tee, alongside his company, Eezee Global Concepts Limited, before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The defendants are facing an amended seven-count charge bordering on alleged foreign exchange malpractice and money laundering involving a total sum of $397,106 (Three Hundred and Ninety-Seven Thousand, One Hundred and Six United States Dollars).
The case, previously before Justice Owoeye of the same court, was reassigned to Justice Aneke.
One of the charges alleges that in June 2023, ThankGod (who was the music producer of gospel music superstar, Mercy Chinwo) and his company, not being licensed foreign exchange dealers, illegally negotiated a forex transaction worth $52,895 with one Mr. Oladotun Olaobaju Mureke—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).
Another count accuses the defendants of failing to submit a mandatory declaration of business activities to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) in 2024, during which $137,383 was allegedly paid into Eezee Concepts Limited’s Zenith Bank account. This, the EFCC states, violates Sections 6(1)(a) and 19(1)(f) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
ThankGod pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel Bilkisu Buhari-Bala requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre, citing his repeated failure to honour EFCC invitations and refusal to accept service.
In response, defence counsel Chikaozolu Ojukwu, SAN, pleaded for bail on liberal terms, requesting the court to release his client into his custody.
Opposing the bail application, Buhari-Bala referred to a 16-paragraph counter-affidavit filed by the EFCC on March 4, 2025, highlighting the defendant’s alleged non-cooperation and disregard for prior administrative bail conditions.
After hearing both sides, Justice Aneke adjourned ruling on the bail application to May 9, 2025, but temporarily released the defendant to his counsel’s custody.