Legal Battle Heats Up: Ex-P-Square Manager Jude Okoye's Wife Implicated in $1 Million Theft Allegation Trial
Lagos, Nigeria – The trial of Jude Chigozie Okoye, the former manager and elder brother of music duo P-Square (Peter and Paul Okoye), intensified at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, as the first prosecution witness (PW1), Peter Obumuneme Okoye, presented critical evidence regarding the ownership structure of the company at the heart of the alleged fraud.
Mr. Jude Okoye, alongside his company, Northside Music Limited, is facing prosecution by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a four-count charge bordering on the theft of over $1 million. Okoye has maintained a not-guilty plea since the charges were first read in court.
Crucial Testimony: Wife's Shareholding Revealed
During the resumed trial on Friday, December 12, 2025, Peter Obumuneme Okoye testified before Justice Rahman Oshodi, confirming a significant detail regarding Northside Music Limited. In a revelation stemming from the prosecution's evidence, the witness affirmed that the defendant's wife holds a substantial stake of 800,000 shares in the company.
Confronted by the defence counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), with statements of account for Northside Music Limited, the PW1 clarified the context of the accounts. He firmly asserted that the accounts detailed transactions related to their joint business interests as P-Square, stating:
> “These statements of account belong to my brother and me. We are P-Square. The company belongs to Peter and Paul.”
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Peter Okoye further elaborated on the alleged diversion of funds, which led to the EFCC investigation:
> “My lord, we own an entertainment company together, and I discovered another company, Northside Entertainment Company, diverting our funds. I showed it to my brother. I reported to the EFCC when I discovered funds were being diverted, and EFCC brought the matter to court.”
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He also confirmed that he had formally petitioned the EFCC through his legal representative, triggering the current judicial process.
Admissibility of Documents Challenged
A key point of contention during the hearing was the attempt by the defence counsel to tender documents attached to the original petition submitted to the EFCC, arguing the documents were vital to their case.
However, prosecution counsel M. K. Bashir swiftly objected to the admissibility of the documents. Bashir argued that the documents were public documents and that the copies presented by the defence, although stamped as Certified True Copies (CTC), were not in proper legal form and were not originally attached to the petition. The prosecution urged the court to reject the documents on these grounds.
The court is expected to rule on the admissibility of the contested documents as the trial progresses.
This report is based on information provided in an official statement released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding the ongoing court proceedings.
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