The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday fixed February 14, 2024 for arraignment of embattled music producer Ezekiel Onyedikachuwu A.K.A Thankgod, while hearing is preliminary objection seeking to stop his arraignment for alleged fraud on same day.
Onyedikachuwu, a former manager of gospel artiste, Mercy Chinwo, is the defendant in a three-count charge bordering on money laundering and diversion of funds filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.
At the resumption of proceedings on Friday before Justice Alexander Owoeye, the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Monday Ubani (SAN) informed the court that he had filed a motion to vacate the order of arrest earlier obtained by the EFCC
But the EFCC’s Counsel, Bilkisu Buhari-Bala informed Justice Owoeye that the Commission had been looking for the defendant to serve the charge on him, which was the basis of the warrant of arrest issued by the court.
She then sought the court’s approval to serve the defendant’s charge on his counsel a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Following the court’s nod, Buhari-Bala served the charge on Onyedikachuwu through Ubani.
One of the counts reads: That you EZEKIEL ONYEDIKACHUWU THANKGOD and EEZEE GLOBAL CONCEPTS LIMITED sometime in 2023 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court directly retained the sum of $260,494 ( Two Hundred and Sixty Thousand Four Hundred and Four USD) in EEZEE GLOBAL MINISTRY Zenith Bank Plc account number 5071267758 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: dishonest conversion of the said sum, property of Mercy Chinwo and Judith Kanayo and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under section 18 (3) of the of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
