On Friday, May 16, the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented its first prosecution witness, Peter Obumuneme Okoye (Mr P), against Jude Chigozie Okoye, elder brother and former manager of P-Square, before Justice Rahman Oshodi at the State High Court in Ikeja, Lagos.

Jude Okoye and his company, Northside Music Ltd, face a four-count charge of alleged stealing involving $1,019,762.87 and ?34,537.59.

Led by prosecution counsel Mohammed Bashir, Peter testified that Jude?s wife, Ifeoma, owns 80% of Northside Music Ltd, while Jude holds 20%. ?I went to the EFCC with my lawyer to submit the petition on January 22, 2024. I initially wrote Northside Music as the respondent. But upon various investigations carried out by the Commission, it was discovered that Jude?s wife, Ifeoma, is the owner of the company because she owns 80 percent shares, while Jude retains the remaining 20 per cent,? he said.

He revealed that the EFCC uncovered 47 bank accounts used by Jude to receive royalties.

Peter stated that Jude never denied the allegations, but his twin brother, Paul, claimed during an EFCC meeting that Jude owns 40% of P-Square, with Peter and Paul each holding 30%. ?Ifeoma was never part of our engagement, and I was not aware when Northside Music was registered. Northside Music, according to my findings, was registered in 2015 and had been operating illegally two years prior to our breakup,? Peter added.

The prosecution tendered Peter?s January 22, 2024, petition, which was admitted without objection from Jude?s counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN. Peter recounted that P-Square, formed in 1999, established Northside Entertainment Ltd between 2005 and 2006, with Jude as the sole signatory to its accounts in Eco Bank, FCMB, and Zenith Bank. ?They were both Naira and Dollar accounts, and Jude was the sole manager of all the accounts,? he said.

Peter noted that P-Square split in September 2017 and reunited in November 2021. During the split, he received no royalties, despite all royalties previously being paid to Northside Entertainment Ltd, where the trio were shareholders. He identified two aggregators, I-rocking.com and Free Me Digital, that generated income from their music. After going solo as Mr P, Peter discovered Northside Music Ltd, a separate entity run by Jude, which he alleged was diverting royalties.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the trial to May 23 for continuation. (The Sun)

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