A Federal High Court in Lagos has granted a warrant for the arrest of Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, the manager of gospel singer Mercy Chinwo, following allegations of financial misconduct. The order was issued on January 16, 2025, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a motion exparte requesting the arrest of the manager.
Justice Alexander Owoeye, who presided over the case, approved the arrest warrant after reviewing the motion brought by the EFCC. The commission’s application was supported by an affidavit submitted by Mr. Michael Idoko, an investigator with the EFCC. In the affidavit, the EFCC revealed that the gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo, had filed a petition accusing her manager of financial misappropriation.
According to the EFCC’s affidavit, Chinwo alleged that her manager had been receiving royalties from her digital platforms and events without her knowledge or disclosure. The petition claimed that Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu had diverted approximately $345,000 of the singer’s earnings without remitting her rightful share. The allegations suggest serious financial misconduct involving significant amounts of money.
The EFCC further indicated that despite efforts to locate and arrest the manager, they were unsuccessful. This failure to apprehend Onyedikachukwu prompted the EFCC to seek the court’s intervention in the form of an arrest warrant. “Efforts to arrest the manager failed, necessitating the application for a warrant of arrest,” the commission stated in its affidavit.
Following the court’s ruling, the case has been adjourned to January 24, 2025, for the arraignment of Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu. The singer’s legal team and the EFCC will likely continue to pursue the matter, with more developments expected as the case moves forward.
