The arraignment of Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, a former manager of gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo, was stalled at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday, as the judge cited an “administrative process” stopping him from proceeding.
Justice Alexander Owoeye held that the court could not proceed until an ongoing administrative process was concluded.
Although the judge did not disclose what he meant by administrative process, Channels Television gathered that the defendant had written a petition to the Chief Judge of the court, accusing the trial judge of bias.
The anti-graft agency had filed a three-count charge of money laundering and diversion of funds against the defendant, who was present in court after failing to appear on three occasions for his arraignment.
At the last sitting of the court on February 17, the court held that the arrest warrant it made against Onyedikachukwu was still subsisting.
When the case came up before the court on Thursday, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala appeared for the prosecution, while a new counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), announced appearance for the defendant alongside Monday Ubani (SAN), who had always represented him.
The prosecutor, then informed the court that the matter was for arraignment of the defendant who was present in court.
The Defence Counsel, Ojukwu, also informed the court that the defence was ready to proceed.
The judge then informed the parties that he would not be able to take the arraignment as scheduled owing to an administrative process.
Ojukwu sought to know if this meant that parties should maintain status quo in the case, however, the court said that it would not make any pronouncement on the case until the administrative process was completed.
Following the agreement of the parties, the court adjourned the case until May 14.
However, a mild drama ensued outside the courtroom when the defendant took to his heels and passed the back gate of the court in a bid to evade the cameraman who had gathered near the front gate to cover the proceedings.
In the amended 10-count charge dated March 3rd, 2025, the EFCC charged Onyedikachukwu and his company, Eezee Tee, with money laundering and dishonest conversion of $340,000 belonging to the gospel artiste, Mercy Chinwo
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 (TwoHundred 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.
In the affidavit filed in support of the charge and sworn to by an investigator, Michael Idoko, the EFCC averred that it received a petition from Mercy Chinwo against her manager.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the gospel singer alleged that her manager had been receiving royalties from all her digital platforms and events without proper disclosure.
The EFCC also claimed that the complainant accused her manager of diverting approximately $345,000 without remitting her share. Efforts to arrest the manager had failed, which led to the request for a warrant.
