Court remands Jude Okoye over alleged N1.3bn fraud

The longstanding dispute between Nigerian twin singers Peter and Paul Okoye, popularly often called P-Sq., and their elder brother and former supervisor, Jude Okoye, took a brand new activate Wednesday.

In response to a Channels Tv report, Jude was arraigned alongside his firm, Northside Music Ltd, earlier than Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Lagos, on a seven-count cost.

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

This newspaper additionally reported that Paul, often called Rudeboy and a former group member, alleged that his brother, Peter (Mr P), filed a petition with the EFCC accusing him and Jude of economic mismanagement.  

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

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

Depend

The TV station reported that the fees towards P-Sq.’s elder brother said: “That you just, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd someday in 2022, in Lagos, inside the jurisdiction of this Honourable Courtroom, did straight purchase a landed property often called No 5, Tony Eromosele Road Parkview Property, Ikoyi, Lagos value  N850,000,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty million naira) solely, which cash you knew or fairly should have identified types a part of proceeds of illegal act and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Part 18 (2) (d) and punishable beneath Part 18 (3) of the Cash Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

“That you just, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd someday in 2022, in Lagos, inside the jurisdiction of this Honourable Courtroom, did not directly, utilizing bureau de change, convert the sum of $1,019,762.87 (A million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and six-two {dollars} eighty-seven cents), domiciled in Entry Financial institution Plc operated by Northside Music Lid to the naira equal and remitted into varied financial institution accounts to hide that the stated fund type a part of the proceeds of an illegal act and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Part 18 (2)(a) and punishable beneath Part 18 (3) of the Cash Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

Nevertheless, Jude pleaded not responsible to the seven-count expenses filed towards him.

Ruling

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

Nevertheless, the defence counsel, Inibehe Effiong, knowledgeable the courtroom of a pending bail software.

He urged the courtroom to grant a brief adjournment for the listening to and requested that the defendant be remanded within the custody of the EFCC till the bail software was heard.

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

He urged the courtroom 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 twenty-eight February for the bail listening to and 14 April for the graduation of trial.

He additional ordered that the defendant be remanded on the Ikoyi Correctional Facility.

Background

On 1 August 2024, this newspaper reported that Rudeboy introduced the official dissolution of the once-iconic music group that dominated Africa for many years, greater than two years after their extremely publicised reunion.  

The dual brothers, who began their musical careers in 1999 and dominated the African music scene for over a decade, parted methods in 2017.

Nevertheless, in 2021, they reconciled after a four-year feud and a number of other public controversies that strained their relationships with colleagues and followers.

Throughout their separation, Rudeboy launched songs comparable to Hearth Hearth and Nkenji Keke, amongst others.

In the meantime, Mr P dropped tracks like For My Head and Cool It Down.

Following their reunion in November 2021, they rekindled followers’ hopes by performing a few of their hit songs at a present on the Sierra Leone Nationwide Stadium in Freetown.  

Nevertheless, since their cut up, allegations of track theft, mismanagement of royalties, and the alleged diversion of funds have continued to floor.