The Legal Tangle: The Okoye Brothers' Money Woes
Testimony by Peter Okoye Against Previous P-Square Manager Presented to EFCC
In a surprising turn of events, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) called on Nigerian music legend Peter Okoye, famously known as Mr. P, to testify against his elder brother, Jude Chigozie Okoye, on May 16, 2025. The tense courtroom drama unfolded at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, where Jude and his company, Northside Music Ltd., are standing trial on allegations of financial misdeeds.
According to our sources, the trial centers around a four-count charge that accuses Jude of embezzling music royalties to the tune of $1 million and £34,537. The trial, presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi, marked a significant moment as Mr. P took the stand as the first prosecution witness, or PW1, under the guidance of EFCC counsel Mohammed Bashir.
In his testimony, Mr. P detailed the submission of a petition to the EFCC on January 22, 2024, accusing Jude of financial mismanagement involving royalty payments. Interestingly, the investigation revealed that while Northside Music Ltd. was initially perceived as a respondent, Jude's wife, Ifeoma, held an 80% stake in the company, with Jude owning 20%.
"I never communicated with Paul or Jude until April 2024, when EFCC questioned if Jude was involved," Mr. P explained. He added that during his initial investigation, Jude had utilized over 47 bank accounts to receive royalties. Despite being asked by the EFCC to discuss the matter with both brothers, only Jude had been detained.
Moreover, Mr. P shared that Jude hadn't denied any wrongdoing, but during a meeting facilitated by the EFCC, his brother Paul had claimed that Jude owned 40% of P-Square, with the remaining 30% divided between Peter and Paul themselves.
The intrigue deepens when we consider that Mr. P was unaware of Northside Music Ltd., a company he discovered had been in operation since 2013-two years prior to P-Square's dissolution in 2017. Significantly, Ifeoma, Jude's wife, was never part of the brothers' business ventures.
The duo's professional journey began in 1999, when they embarked on their music career. By 2005, they had established Northside Entertainment Ltd., where all brothers – Peter, Paul, and Jude – served as directors and shareholders. Jude, however, was the sole signatory to accounts opened with Ecobank, FCMB, and Zenith Bank, encompassing both Naira and Dollar accounts.
Between 2017 and their 2021 reunion, Mr. P testified that he never received any royalties through Northside Entertainment Ltd. Before the split, the group received royalties from streaming platforms such as I-Rocking.com and FreeMe Digital, which were paid to Northside Entertainment Ltd.
However, after the reunion, Mr. P noticed discrepancies in the royalty payments and discovered the existence of Northside Music Ltd., a company solely run by Jude. As a result, during a London tour, a potential buyer approached the group about purchasing their music catalog. This prompted Mr. P to request access to the royalty back-end, exposing questionable transactions.
The EFCC subsequently tendered the January 22, 2024 petition as evidence, which the defense counsel, Chief Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN, did not contest. The case has continued to unravel as the EFCC seeks to establish the misappropriation of royalties, misuse of company accounts, and the unauthorized registration of businesses linked to the P-Square brand.
For those interested, it's worth noting that Jude Okoye finds himself embroiled in another legal issue, this time in a separate money laundering trial involving N1.38 billion, $1 million, and £34,537.59.
While this tangle of legal proceedings may have shaken the foundations of the once unified P-Square music dynasty, the legal process grinds on, as the court continues to strive for transparency and accountability within the music industry.
- The Okoye brothers' legal troubles extended beyond the music arena, as Jude Okoye faced a separate money laundering trial in addition to the financial misdeeds accusations in Lagos.
- The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) sought the testimony of Nigerian music legend Peter Okoye, also known as Mr. P, to address allegations against his brother, Jude, in the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.
- Members of the Nigerian police force, particularly the EFCC, had begun investigating the financial affairs of Northside Music Ltd., specifically concerning the embezzlement of $1 million and £34,537 in music royalties.
- In the trial, Peter Okoye, serving as the first prosecution witness (PW1), shared that he discovered the existence of Northside Music Ltd., a company he was previously unaware of, which had been in operation since 2013.
- The trial unfolded against the backdrop of the Nigerian economy, with the naira and dollar playing significant roles in the financial transactions under scrutiny.
- Jude Okoye's wife, Ifeoma, held an 80% stake in Northside Music Ltd., Further complicating matters, Jude's wife was never involved in the brothers' business ventures.
- The legal proceedings involving the Okoye brothers have attracted much attention in the Naija general-news and entertainment circles, shedding light on the standards of corporate responsibility and financial accountability within the Nigerian music industry and the broader crime-and-justice landscape.
