From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Ezekiel ThankGod, the former manager of gospel artiste Mercy Chinwo, has had his alleged $340,000 fraud case adjourned till May 14, 2025.
The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a three-count charge against him, bordering on money laundering and dishonest conversion.
The charges allege that ThankGod and his company, Eezee Global Concepts Limited, retained $260,494 in a Zenith Bank account, which is believed to be part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity.
The offence is contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
ThankGod was initially supposed to be arraigned on February 17, 2025, but his absence stalled the trial, leading to a bench warrant being issued for his arrest.
His counsel, Dr Monday Ubani, assured that he would be present in court on the adjourned date.
At the resumed sitting on March 6, 2025, the prosecuting counsel informed the court of their readiness to arraign ThankGod, who was present in court.
One of the counts reads: “That you, EZEKIEL ONYEDIKACHUKWU THANKGOD and EEZEE GLOBAL CONCEPTS LIMITED sometime in 2023, directly retained the sum of $260,494 (Two Hundred and Sixty Thousand Four Hundred and Ninety-Four USD) in EEZEE GLOBAL MINISTRY Zenith Bank Plc account number, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity, the dishonest conversion of the said sum, property of Mercy Chinwo and Judith Kanayo.”
However, Justice A.O. Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, adjourned the case due to an administrative procedure that needed to be determined, Head of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Dele Oyewale, said in a statement on Thursday.