The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Ezekiel ThankGod, popularly known as Eezee Tee, the founder of EeZee Global Conceptz, before a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over allegations of a $397,106 fraud.
The anti-graft agency, however, dropped its initial accusations of fraudulent conversion of gospel singer Mercy Chinwo’s earnings, opting instead to arraign him on charges of non-disclosure of his company’s financial transactions.
Eezee Tee pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke. The charges include allegations that between 2021 and 2023, Eezee Tee and his company conducted foreign exchange transactions totalling $141,670 without being authorised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). These acts allegedly violate sections 5 and 29(1)(c) of the Foreign Exchange Monitoring and Miscellaneous (Provisions) Act and are punishable under Section 29(2) of the same Act.
Additionally, the EFCC accused the defendants of failing to submit required financial information to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) between 2022 and 2024. During this period, $255,436 was allegedly deposited into his company’s account, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Another count accuses the defendants of engaging in an unauthorised foreign exchange transaction in October 2022, contrary to the National Economic Intelligence Committee Establishment Act, 1994.
During the hearing, Eezee Tee’s lead counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), informed the court of ongoing settlement discussions involving the EFCC, the defendant, and Mercy Chinwo, describing the matter as contractual. The defence requested bail, proposing that the defendant be released into the custody of his counsel until bail conditions are met.
However, EFCC counsel, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala, opposed the bail application, alleging that the defendant had not honoured previous administrative bail conditions. Justice Aneke adjourned the matter to May 9, 2025, for a ruling on the bail application and temporarily released the defendant into his counsel’s custody.
In a separate case, the EFCC arraigned Ntai Bagshaw and his company, Terraworks Limited, before Justice Olubusila Okunuga of the Lagos Special Offences Court in Ikeja. Bagshaw is accused of obtaining N45 million under false pretences, claiming the funds were for the purchase of a three-bedroom flat in Ogudu GRA.
The prosecution stated that the alleged offence violates the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act and Lagos State’s Criminal Law. Bagshaw pleaded not guilty to the charges. Justice Okunuga adjourned the trial to May 22, 2025, and ordered Bagshaw’s remand in EFCC custody pending trial.
