EFCC Presents Peter Okoye As First Witness In £1m Fraud Case Against Former P-Square Manager Jude Okoye.
On Monday, 14 April 2025, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opened its case against Jude Chigozie Okoye, elder brother and former manager of the renowned Nigerian music duo P-Square, at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos. The EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate presented its first prosecution witness, Peter Okoye, in a trial involving allegations of money laundering amounting to N1.38 billion (£1 million). Justice A. Owoeye presided over the proceedings.
Jude Okoye, alongside his company Northside Music Limited, faces a seven-count charge. One count alleges that in 2022, Okoye acquired a property in Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, valued at N850 million, using funds he knew, or ought to have known, were proceeds of unlawful activities. This, the EFCC claims, violates the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022. Okoye pleaded “not guilty” when arraigned on 26 February 2025.
During the hearing, Peter Okoye, one half of P-Square, testified against his brother, detailing a history of financial disputes. Led by prosecution counsel Aso Larry Peters, Peter recounted how P-Square, formed in 1997, faced managerial issues after Jude took over as manager and director of Northside Entertainment Limited. “We were always having issues about how he was running the business,” Peter said, noting that Jude was the sole signatory to the group’s accounts at Ecobank, Zenith, and FCMB.
Peter described a particularly contentious issue during the construction of their homes in Ikoyi, when funding for his house was halted for six months. He alleged that Jude and his twin brother, Paul, told him, “As you leave P-Square, you leave the money.” This prompted Peter to involve their lawyer, Festus Keyamo, now Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation.
Further testimony revealed Peter’s discovery of Northside Music Limited, a company similar to Northside Entertainment, with Jude and his wife as directors. Peter claimed he was denied access to financial records, including the “backend” – royalties tracked by music aggregators. “I demanded the backend and statements of account, but there was no positive response,” he told the court. When he approached bank officials, one allegedly informed him that Jude had instructed them not to share the details, suggesting Peter seek a court order.
Peter also alleged that Jude and Paul were uncomfortable when he proposed transferring P-Square’s music catalogue to another company, Mad Solution, for better transparency. After doing so, Peter received $22,000 in royalties, only to learn that Jude and Paul had already been paid. He later found that the backend data had been “tampered with,” reducing the catalogue’s value significantly.
In a surprising twist, Peter discovered through the Corporate Affairs Commission that Jude’s wife owned 80% of Northside Music, with Jude holding 20%. He also alleged discrepancies in tax filings, claiming Jude misrepresented P-Square’s performance income after their 2017 split. These findings led Peter to report the matter to the EFCC through his lawyer.
The case has drawn significant attention, spotlighting internal conflicts within one of Nigeria’s most iconic music groups. Justice Owoeye adjourned the matter to 4 June 2025 for cross-examination, leaving the public awaiting further developments in this high-profile fraud trial.
The EFCC remains steadfast in its pursuit of justice, as Nigeria continues its clampdown on financial crimes in the entertainment industry.
