EFCC Serves Fraud Charges Against Mercy Chinwo’s Manager, Halts Arrest
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday formally served fraud allegations involving $345,000 against Ezekiel Onyedikachi, the manager of gospel singer Mercy Chinwo, through his lawyer, Monday Ubani (SAN).
Ezekiel, accused of diverting royalties from Chinwo’s digital platforms and events, had been the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Federal High Court in Lagos last week. EFCC counsel Bilikisu Buhari told Justice Alexander Owoeye that the charges stem from alleged financial mismanagement, including failing to remit Mercy Chinwo’s share of earnings.
However, during Friday’s court proceedings, Ezekiel’s lawyer argued that the case was a contractual dispute rather than a criminal matter.
Ubani said, “The EFCC misled the court in granting the order for the arrest of my client, as the subject matter is purely a contractual dispute.”
He further informed the court that Ezekiel had filed a fundamental human rights enforcement suit to stop his arrest and a preliminary objection to the charges. He urged the court to vacate the arrest warrant, emphasizing that his client had not been served with any formal charges until that moment.
In response, EFCC counsel Bilikisu Buhari acknowledged that the commission had faced challenges in executing the arrest but requested the court’s permission to serve the charges on Ubani in open court. She noted that the arrest warrant might no longer be necessary as Ubani had accepted the charges on behalf of his client.
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Ubani received the charges and requested a date for the court to address the preliminary objection to the allegations.
Justice Alexander Owoeye scheduled February 14 for the possible arraignment of Ezekiel Onyedikachi and the hearing of pending applications related to the case.
