Entertainment
Peter of P-square testifies against brother in fraud case
Peter of P-square testifies against brother in fraud case
The trial of Jude Okoye, former Manager of Psquare group, over alleged money laundering to the tune of N1.38 billion, $1 million and £34,537.59, commenced, yesterday, before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, with his younger brother, Peter Okoye, testifying against him.
Jude alongside his company, Northside Music Limited, are being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a seven-count charge of the offences.
Trial judge in the matter is Justice Alexander Owoeye.
His trial followed a petition written to the commission by his brother, Peter.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Jude Okoye and Northside Music Limited sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court, did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth N850million only, which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Meanwhile, Jude had denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
At the resumed hearing of the matter, the first prosecution witness, Peter, who introduced himself as Peter Obumuneme Okoye, while being led in evidence by the prosecutor, Aso Larrys Peters, told the court, how his brother, Jude defrauded him.
In his evidence, he said: “He’s my elder brother and former manager to the group called P-square
“Sometimes in 2017, the group P-square disbanded, we were apart for nearly 5-years plus. In November 2021, the group came back.
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“We were part for 5-years 2017-2021. Psquare started in 1997-98. Before Jude became our manager, we had several managers who includes Chioma Ugochi. She managed us when we were in secondary – University studies. We also had late Bayo Odusami of Mbuntu music, he managed us for 5-years. After myself and twin brother managed ourselves for couple of months, before we decided that he (Jude) managed us and Northside Entertainment Ltd.
“So, we continued running our business and sometimes we started having issues on how he run the business. The issues were mainly on how he was the sole signatory to all our bank accounts in Ecobank, Zenith and FCMB.
“Whenever we had these issues for couples of months, I did not have access to money. Not until when Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, now Minister of Aviation, who was our lawyer came up that we have should have a sharing formula.
“There was a scenario that happened when we were building our houses in Ikoyi, whereby it was only defendant can signed out money. The finance of the house project was by Northwest Entertainment Ltd, but they just stopped financing my house for six months.
“The accounts were owned by the company, while the defendant was the only signatory to all the accounts. Within that six months, when we came back, I approached the defendant and my twin brother, Paul, and asked why they stopped financing my project. What I heard from them was as I left P-Square, I left the money’. With that comment, I approached our lawyer, Keyamo, who asked me that if I wanted to buy phone, I needed to ask the first defendant. All our money was in Northside Entertainment which he was the sole signatory.
“Sometimes in 2017, the group disbanded after 5 years, November 17, 2021, there was a reunion again, and this time, the defendant was no longer managing us. I discovered that there was a company similar to ours, Northside Music Limited, and by ending of 2022, I made discovery when some people wanted to acquire our albums, and these individuals demanded for our statement of account to know how much the albums generates monthly, because I don’t have access to ‘backend.’ Then I went to my twin brother, Paul, who replied ‘You know that I don’t know anything about it but Jude, I said let’s go him, he then said he would go and meet him then I left him.”
He said a few weeks later, he approached Paul again and asked ‘have you contacted Jude, he said Paul told him that he did not have the time, and thereafter, approached Jude again, who told him that his share of money was with some people in South Africa, and he replied that he was not asking for money but backend and the statement of accounts again, there’s no positive response.
Peter further told the court that based on the defendant’s response, he knew that something was going on, he then asked the accounts officers in both Eco Bank and Zenith Bank, adding that when he could not get a satisfactory response from the account officers.
Peter of P-square testifies against brother in fraud case
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
Tuface named technical adviser to Benue governor
Tuface named technical adviser to Benue governor
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has appointed music legend Innocent Idibia, better known as Tuface, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, the governor appreciated TuFace for all the support towards his administration, adding that the singer has the capacity to do more.
Governor Alia said: “On behalf of the Benue State government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advise as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a technical adviser to the Governor on entertainment and community outreach.”
Tuface is regarded as one of the “most influential” and greatest Afrobeats artists of all time following his contributions to Nigerian pop music in the 2000s.
Entertainment
How fans contributed to PSquare’s breakup – Peter Okoye
How fans contributed to PSquare’s breakup – Peter Okoye
Afrobeat sensation Peter Okoye has opened up about the real reason behind the much-talked-about breakup of PSquare, one of Nigeria’s most iconic music duos.
Speaking at the AYLIVE show, Peter revealed that fan behavior played a significant role in the group’s split. According to him, the constant comparisons and favoritism shown by fans toward either him or his twin brother, Paul, gradually created tension between the two.
He said: “Fans are the reasons Psquare no dey together today. Two brothers dey do one thing, ona dey talk say one better pass one, e con enter one head, he begin misbehave. If ona like make ona dey go house, I no send una.”
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PSquare was a Nigerian musical duo composed of twin brothers Peter and Paul Okoye.
Formed in 1997, the group rose to fame with hits like “E No Easy,” “Bizzy Body,” and “Personally.”
Known for their energetic performances and catchy Afrobeats, PSquare became one of Africa’s most successful musical acts.
In 2017, PSquare officially disbanded after years of internal conflicts and public feuds.
The twins had been managed by their elder brother, Jude Okoye, who also owned a significant share of their company, PClassic Label.
Disputes over management, finances, and creative direction strained their relationship.
How fans contributed to PSquare’s breakup – Peter Okoye
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