P-Square Saga: Court remands Jude Okoye over alleged N1.3bn fraud

The longstanding dispute between Nigerian twin singers Peter and Paul Okoye, popularly known as P-Square, and their elder brother and former manager, Jude Okoye, took a new turn on Wednesday.

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According to a Channels Television report, Jude was arraigned alongside his company, Northside Music Ltd, before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on a seven-count charge.

In August 2024, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the brothers’ controversy revolved around royalties, financial misconduct, and the alleged embezzlement of funds belonging to the now-defunct P-Square.

This newspaper also reported that Paul, known as Rudeboy and a former group member, alleged that his brother, Peter (Mr P), filed a petition with the EFCC accusing him and Jude of financial mismanagement.

Additionally, Jude revealed that Mr P’s petition to the anti-graft agency led to his invitation and interrogation over allegations of diverting P-Square’s funds.

However, seven months after the controversy appeared to have died, the EFCC arraigned Jude on charges of laundering ₦1.38 billion, $1 million, and £34,537.59.

Count

The TV station reported that the charges against P-Square’s elder brother stated: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth N850,000,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty million naira) 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.”

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“That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did indirectly, using bureau de change, convert the sum of $1,019,762.87 (One million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and six-two dollars eighty-seven cents), domiciled in Access Bank Plc operated by Northside Music Lid to the naira equivalent and remitted into various bank accounts to conceal that the said fund form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(a) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

However, Jude pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charges filed against him.

Ruling

Following the defendant’s not-guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, Larry Aso, requested a hearing date and applied for the defendant’s remand in a correctional facility pending trial.

However, the defence counsel, Inibehe Effiong, informed the court of a pending bail application.

He urged the court to grant a short adjournment for the hearing and requested that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the EFCC until the bail application was heard.

Mr Aso opposed the request, arguing that the EFCC facility was overcrowded with suspects awaiting arraignment.

He urged the court to remand the defendant at a correctional facility, emphasising that he had already taken his plea.

In his ruling, Justice Owoeye adjourned the case to 28 February for the bail hearing and 14 April for the commencement of trial.

He further ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Facility.

Background

On 1 August 2024, this newspaper reported that Rudeboy announced the official dissolution of the once-iconic music group that dominated Africa for decades, more than two years after their highly publicised reunion.

The twin brothers, who started their musical careers in 1999 and ruled the African music scene for over a decade, parted ways in 2017.

However, in 2021, they reconciled after a four-year feud and several public controversies that strained their relationships with colleagues and fans.

During their separation, Rudeboy released songs such as Fire Fire and Nkenji Keke, among others.

Meanwhile, Mr P dropped tracks like For My Head and Cool It Down.

Following their reunion in November 2021, they rekindled fans’ hopes by performing some of their hit songs at a show at the Sierra Leone National Stadium in Freetown.

However, since their split, allegations of song theft, mismanagement of royalties, and the alleged diversion of funds have continued to surface.