By Ghazali Ibrahim
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has presented its first witness, Peter Obumuneme Okoye, also known as Mr. P, against Jude Chigozie Okoye, the former manager of the popular music group P-Square.
Jude Okoye is standing trial alongside his company, Northside Music Ltd., on allegations of stealing $1 million and £34,537, BlackBox Nigeria reported.
During the trial, Peter Okoye told the court that his brother’s wife, Ifeoma, owned 80% of Northside Music Ltd., while Jude retained 20% shares.
He revealed that the company had been operating illegally since 2013, two years before its registration in 2015.
According to Peter Okoye, Jude was the sole signatory to Northside Entertainment Ltd.’s bank accounts, which received royalties from music streaming platforms.
He alleged that Jude managed the accounts without transparency, leading to discrepancies in royalty payments.
Peter Okoye further testified that P-Square discovered a similar company, Northside Music, run by Jude, after their breakup in 2017.
He claimed that Jude never denied committing the crime and that discrepancies in royalty payments led them to seek legal action.
The EFCC investigation uncovered that Jude used 47 bank accounts to receive royalties.
The prosecution tendered a petition dated January 22, 2024, as evidence.
The trial continues on May 23 as the EFCC pursues justice in this high-profile case involving two prominent figures in the Nigerian music industry.
