Entertainment
P-Square: Jude Okoye freed after two months detention
P-Square: Jude Okoye freed after two months detention
Jude Okoye, elder brother and former manager of the iconic P-Square duo, has been released after two months’ detention for an alleged N1.38bn fraud.
Jude, also known as Jude Engees, was granted bail earlier but faced delays in perfecting his bail.
On Wednesday, his younger brother, Paul Okoye, popularly known as Rudeboy, announced his release via an Instagram post and shared a video of Jude’s reunion with his family.
“Jude is finally out after two months + …all their efforts to frustrate his bail have finally collapsed. Welcome home, brother @judeengees. And happy birthday,” Paul wrote.
The announcement comes amid a feud within the Okoye family.
Jude, who once managed the internationally celebrated music duo, is embroiled in dual criminal trials.
The cases stem from allegations of financial impropriety levelled by his younger brother Peter Okoye (Mr P), who testified against him on April 14 in a Federal High Court in Lagos.
According to the prosecution, Jude used a company he allegedly incorporated without his brothers’ knowledge, ‘Northside Music Limited’, to siphon off royalties and control the group’s revenues.
Testifying before Justice Alexander Owoeye, Peter revealed that between 2017 and 2021, a period when the group was disbanded, he had no access to the band’s multiple bank accounts, which were controlled solely by Jude.
He further alleged that Jude and his wife diverted music royalties and withheld key financial records.
The singer said a particularly hurtful moment came when he was denied access to group funds during a house project in Ikoyi.
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“When I asked why financing had stopped, I was told, ‘As you leave P-Square, you leave the money,’” Peter recalled.
However, the EFCC brought a seven-count charge against Jude and Northside Music Limited. This includes laundering a total of N1.38bn, over $1m, and £34,537.59.
The commission alleged that the funds were used to purchase a property worth N850m at Parkview Estate in Ikoyi and were funnelled through a Bureau De Change.
Jude pleaded not guilty and was initially remanded in Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
He was granted bail on March 6, set at N50m with two sureties, and was instructed to surrender both his Nigerian and St. Kitts & Nevis passports.
Also, in a second concurrent case at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, he was accused of converting over $1m and £34,537.59 in digital royalties for personal use between 2016 and 2023.
The case, presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi, is scheduled to continue on May 16 and 23.
The fallout from the P-Square disbandment in 2017 has long been a source of speculation until August 2024, when Peter formalised his grievances.
Despite a musical reunion in 2021, the reconciliation collapsed shortly after.
Jude’s defence team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Clement Onwuenwunor, downplayed the EFCC case as a family dispute exaggerated into criminal litigation.
“This is more of a misunderstanding between directors than a criminal case,” Onwuenwunor stated in court, and stressed Jude’s full cooperation with investigators.
Meanwhile, Mr P will be cross-examined when the case resumes on June 4.
P-Square: Jude Okoye freed after two months detention
Entertainment
Hollywood director Rob Reiner, wife Michele found dead in LA home
Hollywood director Rob Reiner, wife Michele found dead in LA home
Legendary Hollywood film-maker and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele have been found dead in their Los Angeles home.
Authorities are investigating the incident as an apparent homicide after police and firefighters were called to the couple’s house on Sunday afternoon in an upmarket neighbourhood of LA.
Reiner is known for directing classic films including The Princess Bride, This is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men.
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner,” a family spokesperson said in a statement to US media.
“We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”
Police said a 78-year-old man and 68-year-old woman were pronounced dead at the home, but officers did not immediately identify the couple or the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Police also said no-one had been arrested, but that no suspect or person of interest was currently being sought.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department told the BBC they received a call at about 15:38 local time (23:38 GMT) for medical aid to a home in Brentwood, a neighbourhood that is home to many celebrities.
Robbery homicide detectives from the LA police department also responded to the home and have opened a homicide investigation.
In a news conference on Sunday night, police did not offer any details about the deaths or what they found when they responded. Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said both bodies were still inside the house, more than six hours after police and firefighters had been called.
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Police also did not give details about any injuries the pair sustained, nor if any weapon was found or used. Hamilton said a cause of death would be determined by the LA coroner’s office.
‘Big-hearted genius’
California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement that confirmed the death of Reiner and his wife.
Newsom said he was “heartbroken” by the deaths and called Reiner a “big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love”.
Former US President Barack Obama said he and wife Michelle were also heartbroken by the couple’s deaths.
“Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen,” he said. “But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people – and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action.
“Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose. They will be remembered for the values they championed and the countless people they inspired. We send our deepest condolences to all who loved them.”
Rob Reiner, the son of comedy great Carl Reiner, started his career in the 1960s and made it big playing Meathead in groundbreaking TV sitcom All in The Family in the 1970s, which scored him two Emmy Awards.
He achieved futher success with cult mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap in 1984, which he directed as well as playing on-screen director Marty DiBergi.
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That began a run of classic Hollywood movies directed by Reiner, including Stand By Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), Misery (1990) and A Few Good Men (1992), the latter of which scored him an Academy Award nomination for best picture.
He reunited with Spinal Tap for long-awaited sequel Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which was released this September.
Reiner also co-founded the successful Castle Rock Entertainment production company.
He was married to Laverne & Shirley actress Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981 and is the adoptive father to Marshall’s daughter, actress Tracy Reiner.
He married Michele Reiner, an actress, photographer and producer, in 1989. The couple have three children together.
Michele owned the Reiner Light photography agency and production house.
LA mayor Karen Bass called the incident a “devastating loss for our city and country”, and paid tribute to the couple’s charity work for childhood development and LGBTQ+ advocacy.
“Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice,” she said.
Hollywood director Rob Reiner, wife Michele found dead in LA home
Source: BBC
Entertainment
$1m Theft Trial: Jude Okoye’s Wife Owns 800,000 Shares as Peter Testifies in Court
$1m Theft Trial: Jude Okoye’s Wife Owns 800,000 Shares as Peter Testifies in Court
The ongoing $1 million theft trial involving Jude Okoye and Northside Music Limited took a dramatic turn on Friday as Peter Okoye of P-Square told the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja that his elder brother’s wife owns 800,000 shares in Northside Music Limited, the company at the centre of the case.
Peter, the first prosecution witness, appeared before Justice Rahman Oshodi, where he gave evidence against Jude Okoye, the former manager of the P-Square music duo of Peter and Paul Okoye. Jude and Northside Music Limited are standing trial on four counts of alleged fund diversion, to which the defendants have pleaded not guilty.
During cross-examination by defence counsel Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), bank statements linked to Northside Music Limited were presented to the witness. Peter, however, insisted that the accounts represented the joint business interests of P-Square, stressing that the company belongs to him and his twin brother, Paul Okoye.
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“These statements of account belong to me and my brother. We are P-Square. The company belongs to Peter and Paul. It was registered by him,” Peter told the court.
He further disclosed that he petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after discovering that funds were allegedly being diverted through another entity, Northside Entertainment Company.
“I reported to the EFCC when I discovered funds were being diverted,” he said, confirming that he filed the petition through his lawyer and later made a formal statement to the anti-graft agency.
Peter also confirmed under oath that Jude Okoye’s wife holds 800,000 shares in Northside Music Limited, a revelation that added fresh twists to the family and corporate dispute.
Meanwhile, the defence attempted to tender documents related to the original EFCC petition, but the prosecution counsel, M.K. Bashir, objected on the grounds that the documents were not legally admissible, despite being marked as Certified True Copies.
Justice Rahman Oshodi upheld the objection, ruling that the documents failed to meet the required legal standards.
“I reject the documents and mark them as rejected,” the judge ruled.
The court adjourned the matter, with the trial scheduled to continue on February 20 and 27, 2026, as the high-profile P-Square legal battle continues to unfold.
$1m Theft Trial: Jude Okoye’s Wife Owns 800,000 Shares as Peter Testifies in Court
Entertainment
2Baba Breaks Silence, Accuses Family of Fueling Marital Crisis With Wife Natasha
2Baba Breaks Silence, Accuses Family of Fueling Marital Crisis With Wife Natasha
Nigerian music legend Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba or 2Face, has publicly addressed the escalating controversy surrounding his marriage to his wife, Natasha Idibia, accusing some members of his family of worsening the situation under the guise of trying to “save” him.
The marital dispute, which has dominated social media conversations in recent days, reportedly began in the United Kingdom, where Natasha was allegedly heard raising her voice during a heated argument with the singer. The confrontation, according to circulating reports, drew the attention of UK authorities and led to 2Baba’s brief arrest.
Tensions heightened further after a dramatic exchange between the couple during an Instagram Live session hosted by broadcaster Daddy Freeze. The live video, which quickly went viral, showed the couple trading accusations in a manner that alarmed fans and sparked widespread debate about the state of their marriage.
Compounding the situation were comments made by 2Baba’s brother, Hyacinth Idibia, which many interpreted as a sign that the Idibia family had become actively involved in the crisis and increasingly concerned about the singer’s wellbeing.
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However, in a strongly worded video released on social media, 2Baba pushed back, insisting he does not need rescuing and accusing some family members of aggravating the situation and damaging Natasha’s reputation.
“This whole thing has gotten dangerously out of hand. I’m not going to be quiet anymore,” he said. “I am a grown man. My family, under the pretext of trying to save me, has actually destroyed me and killed someone’s daughter’s character. Natasha is getting death threats right now.”
He continued: “Yes, we argue — who doesn’t argue with their spouse? But this is getting out of hand. I am perfectly okay. I recently did my show in Abuja, and a lot of people were there. How do you claim you want to save me but are messing everything up?”
2Baba also referenced past tensions involving his ex-wife, Annie Idibia, saying the ongoing pattern of family interference had become dangerous.
His remarks have generated fresh debate, splitting fans and observers between those urging his family to step back and those calling for more intervention to ensure emotional and physical safety for everyone involved.
The controversy continues to dominate online spaces, with many expressing deep concern over the emotional strain on the singer and his wife.
2Baba Breaks Silence, Accuses Family of Fueling Marital Crisis With Wife Natasha
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