The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted bail of ₦20 million to Ezekiel ‘Eezee Tee’ Onyedikachukwu, the former manager of popular gospel artiste, Mercy Chinwo.
In his ruling on Friday, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke also ordered that the defendant must provide one surety, who must reside in Lagos and own a property worth the bail sum.
The court gave the defendant 72 hours to meet the bail conditions and subsequently fixed his trial for 20 June.
At the last sitting of the court on Wednesday, May 6, the judge released the defendant to his lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chikaosolu Ojukwu.
The defendant, Onyedikachukwu, who is popularly known as EeZeeTee, is standing trial for alleged money laundering amounting to $255,446.
READ ALSO: Mercy Chinwo Accuses Ex-Manager Of Masterminding Rumours About Son’s Paternity
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had initially filed a 14-count charge against him for alleged fraudulent conversion, but later amended the charge to seven counts, accusing him of engaging in foreign exchange transactions without a licence.
Prosecuting counsel, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala, told the court that in June 2023, the defendant, without authorisation from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), negotiated a foreign exchange transaction worth $52,895 with one Oladotun Olaobaju Mureke.
She argued that this act violated 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 Act.
Source: Channels TV
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