Crime
P-Square royalty theft trial: Peter Okoye accused of misleading EFCC with false claims
In a Lagos court, Peter Okoye of the defunct P-Square group faced a heated cross-examination, with his former manager Jude Okoye’s counsel accusing him of misleading the EFCC with false claims regarding alleged royalty theft and financial access to company accounts
The trial involving Jude Okoye, former manager of the defunct music group P-Square, took a dramatic turn on Friday as his counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), accused Peter Okoye (Mr P) of deliberately misleading the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with false and contradictory claims.
Also read: Peter Okoye refutes song theft allegation from twin brother Paul
Jude Okoye and his company, Northside Music Limited, are currently standing trial before the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, facing four counts bordering on stealing and converting over $1 million and £34,000 in royalties derived from music digital distribution/publishing.
At the resumed trial on Friday, Peter Okoye concluded his testimony and underwent a rigorous cross-examination by the defence counsel.
During the cross-examination, Onwuenwunor told Justice Rahman Oshodi that Peter Okoye’s testimony was “riddled with inconsistencies and outright fabrications intended to mislead the EFCC and tarnish the reputation of the defendant, Jude Okoye.”
The defence notably discredited Peter’s earlier statement to the EFCC where he claimed to be a graduate of the University of Abuja. Onwuenwunor revealed that Peter had in fact dropped out of the university.
When confronted with this discrepancy, Peter initially tried to backtrack, stating he had only said he “attended” the university.
However, the defence presented the EFCC’s documented records showing Peter specifically described himself as a “graduate,” leading him to admit in open court that he had not completed his studies.
Further undermining Peter’s testimony, the defence presented documentary evidence indicating that both Peter and his twin brother, Paul, were not only aware of but also had signatory access to Northside Entertainment Limited accounts.
This directly contradicted Peter’s earlier claim that Jude Okoye was the sole signatory and that he had no access to the company’s financial dealings.
A bank mandate was produced, clearly designating Jude as a Category A signatory, while Peter and Paul were Category B signatories.
Peter’s testimony before the EFCC is riddled with lies and misrepresentations. He has made multiple assertions that have now been shown to be false under cross-examination. This is not just a matter of forgetfulness. This is an intentional effort to mislead investigators and this honourable court.
“My lord an account he is the only one that operates, I have never held a cheque,” Peter had previously told the court, adding that “Any time I demand for money, from Jude, he will send me $10,000, send to Paul and pay himself, as if I don’t have family to take care of, I have school fees to pay.”
However, the defence counsel also submitted bank statements showing Peter personally withdrew substantial sums in both naira and dollars from the company’s account.
Peter denied these, stating, “I did not lie, I don’t go to the bank, it is recently I started going to the bank. He gives the cheque to the assistant manager to cash the money from the bank and the manager pays it into my account.”
The defence also presented records of multiple direct transfers from Jude Okoye to Peter, directly contradicting Peter’s sworn statement that he never financially benefited from the company or deals managed by Jude.
Peter responded by claiming he was unaware the money was from Lex Records, as Jude simply paid into his account with his name appearing in the narration.
Peter also testified that his former manager, Jude, had “more than 47 bank accounts,” a detail he said he learned from the EFCC.
On the issue of royalty payments from Mad Solutions, the company managing P-Square’s music catalogue, Peter had claimed he was unaware of the contract and had only received $25,000 and $20,000 in royalties, implying siphoning by Jude.
However, the defence presented documents confirming that the agreement with Mad Solutions was signed by all three parties—Jude, Peter, and Paul—with equal entitlement to royalties.
These documents, the defence stated, showed Peter actually received $4,330.47 and $5,837.35 as his first and second payments, respectively, figures “far lower than the $25,000 and $20,000 he claimed under oath.”
“Peter’s testimony before the EFCC is riddled with lies and misrepresentations. He has made multiple assertions that have now been shown to be false under cross-examination.
This is not just a matter of forgetfulness. This is an intentional effort to mislead investigators and this honourable court,” Onwuenwunor told the court.
Justice Oshodi admitted several bank documents and EFCC statements as evidence, advising the defence to ensure all documents are made available to the prosecution to expedite the trial.
Earlier in his testimony, Peter claimed he was not entitled to proceeds from Jude’s company, alleging Jude used P-Square’s letterhead to sign other artists like Cynthia Morgan.
He asserted that the music catalogue belongs to Peter and Paul, with the manager only paid for managing, not ownership. He explained that they allowed Jude to manage them out of trust, being his brother.
Peter also told the court he discovered the account statements of Northside Music, which showed Jude and his wife (who owns 80% of the company) took almost $800,000 from the account, prompting him to report to the EFCC.
The trial has been adjourned to October 10 and 17, 2025, for continuation.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court has ordered Nollywood actress, Halima Abubakar, to pay N10m as damages to the Senior Pastor and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, for publishing derogatory comments against him.
The court also restrained her from further publishing defamatory statements against the cleric.
According to the Certified True Copy of the judgment dated April 8, 2024, the cleric accused Abubakar of publishing libellous statements on her Instagram page @halimabubakar, which was published by several blogs and newspapers.
The cleric specifically said Abubakar accused him of being a womaniser and diabolical, among others.
According to the process, Abubakar said, “Shan, you said you don’t think I am smart? lol, ask Sule. At your big age am glad Gistlover sent that list. Thank you gistlover for calling me out. I for dey lie and lie for Sule? Never. God bless you gistlover. But your list is small for real. Johnson try me.
“Supporting you on your lies won’t work again. Anyone who involves his/her self will be tagged a bloodsucker. All of you supporting nonsense. No be Sule again, why do they bleed? They know the truth.
“Johnson Suleman wake up and untie her!! you must untie her. You owe her two kids you evil man… Not even how is your health for 4 years… my sister must survive O!
“PIs, don’t worry about me. But you can hold Johnson Suleman responsible just in case you can’t do anything though. Nigerians be aware, if anything happens Johnson you.
“You told her to wait for you to find out why! Knowing well what you did. Giving you space is not possible. How many women have you done this to? you said it yourself that you can’t solve it! why can’t you solve it? Then you disappeared. Not a word since! With all the calls, Tex’s, etc. Sule, she believed you. Nigerians this man is dangerous and a hazard to society from ppl like this.”
The cleric, however, said the statement by Abubakar through her Instagram handle was falsely and maliciously written and published to the general public.
In his judgment, Justice Enobie Obanor noted that Abubakar was allowed to defend herself in the matter but failed to do so.
The judgment read, “This issue is therefore resolved in favour of the claimant. Accordingly, judgment is entered in favour of the claimant as follows:
“A declaration that the statements published by the defendant against the claimant on her Instagram handle @halimabubakar, falsely and maliciously written and published to the general public, are defamatory of the person of the claimant.
“The sum of N10,000,000.00 only to the claimant as aggravated and exemplary damages for libel contained in the publication of the defendant against the claimant on her Instagram handle @Halimabubakar and caused to be published in several blogs.”
The criminal trial of Nigerian singer Azeez Fashola, a.k.a Naira Marley, could not proceed before a Federal High Court Lagos on Wednesday, following a pending application for fiat before the Chief Judge of the court.
The prosecutor, Mrs Bilikisu Buhari, informed the trial judge, Justice Isaac Dipeolu, that an application for fiat to enable the former judge continue with trial of the defendant, is already awaiting approval by the CJ of the court.
She said that the application is dated December 8, 2023.
Nollytrailers reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Naira Marley on charges bordering on cyber crime.
The anti-graft agency preferred the charges on May 14, 2019.
Fashola, who sang the popular song: “Am I a yahoo boy”, was arraigned on May 20, 2019 before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, but he had pleaded not guilty.
Justice Oweibo had accordingly, granted him bail in the sum of N2 million, with two sureties in like sum.
Trial has since commenced in the case and witnesses were still being led in evidence, but Justice Oweibo, was later transferred out of the Lagos division of the court.
The case was, therefore, transferred to a new judge, Dipeolu.
When the case was called for the first time before Justice Dipeolu, Buhari appeared for the prosecution while Mr V.C Maduagwu, appeared for the defendant.
Defence counsel also confirmed the position as stated by the prosecutor to the court.
Following information of the pending application for fiat as brought to the attention of the new judge by counsel, the court adjourned the case until May 30 for report.
The EFCC said the defendant committed the offences on different dates between November 26, 2018 and December 11, 2018, as well as May 10, 2019.
The commission alleged that Fashola and his accomplices conspired to use different Access Bank ATM cards to defraud their victims.
According to the anti-graft agency, the offenses contravene the provisions of Sections 1 23 (1) (b), 27 (1) and 33(9) of Cyber Crime (Prohibition) Prevention Act, 2015.
Two prominent Nollywood actors and members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Cynthia Okereke and Clemson Cornel, aka Agbogidi, have been reportedly abducted.
Director of Communications of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Monalisa Chinda disclosed this to newsmen on Friday.
Chinda, in the statement, said that the actors were reported missing after their family members confirmed they have not come back from a film location at Ozalla Town, Enugu state.
“The two members were suspected of having been kidnapped, which has increased fear amongst members about the safety of actors filming in the country.
“Because of this sad development, the National President of the Guild, Ejezie Emeka Rollas, has instructed all Actors to avoid going to the outskirt of cities to film except full security cover is provided to ensure their safety,” the statement read.
Mr Rollas also expressed shock while urging the security agencies to speed up investigations that would lead to their safe rescue.
He equally appealed to all members to pray for the safe return of the actors.
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