The ongoing trial of Jude Okoye and his company, Northside Music Limited, continued on Thursday, December 12, 2025, before Justice Rahman Oshodi at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos. The music executive is facing four counts of theft filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC alleges that Okoye diverted over $1 million into the company between 2016 and 2023, a charge that he has denied, pleading not guilty to all accusations.

Court Proceedings: Witness Testifies on Shareholding and Transactions

During the resumed hearing, the defense counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), continued cross-examining the first prosecution witness (PW1), Peter Okoye. Onwuenwunor read aloud several transactions from Northside Music Limited’s bank records, including multiple payments made to Peter Okoye, his wife, and third-party beneficiaries.

Some of the transactions highlighted in the court included:

• N2 million to Peter Okoye on December 23, 2012
• N2 million to Peter Okoye on January 3, 2023
• N1 million to Peter Okoye on January 12, 2023
• N8 million to Travelling Better on January 23, 2023
• N6.5 million to Peter Okoye on January 19, 2023
• N2.5 million to Titilola (PW1’s wife) on January 23, 2023

The defense lawyer questioned the legitimacy of these payments, suggesting they might be part of the joint business dealings between Jude and Peter Okoye. In response, Peter Okoye clarified that the account in question belonged to the P-Square duo, stating, “This statement of account belongs to me and my brother. We are P-Square. The company belongs to Peter and Paul. It was registered by him.”

Peter further testified that after noticing funds were being diverted, he reported the issue to the EFCC, which then brought the matter to court.

Ownership of Northside Entertainment Ltd.

In a pivotal moment of the trial, Peter Okoye revealed that he had discovered another company called Northside Entertainment Ltd, allegedly also involved in diverting funds from the P-Square business. He also disclosed that Jude Okoye’s wife owns 800,000 shares in one of the companies currently under scrutiny by the EFCC.

This revelation adds another layer to the ongoing investigation, suggesting that Jude Okoye and his wife may have significant ownership stakes in companies that were allegedly involved in the mismanagement of funds meant for the P-Square brand.

Dispute Over Legal Documents

The defense attempted to present additional documents related to the case, which they claimed were crucial to their argument. However, the prosecution, represented by Bashir, objected to the documents, arguing that they were public documents and that the defense had only submitted stamped copies that did not meet the proper legal requirements for admissibility.

Justice Oshodi ruled in favor of the prosecution, stating that while the documents had originated from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and were in EFCC custody, they failed to meet admissibility standards. The judge then rejected the documents, marking them as inadmissible.

Trial Adjourned

As the trial continued, Peter Okoye also confirmed that he had written a statement to the EFCC after his lawyer submitted the petition that led to the case being brought to court.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the trial to February 20 and 27, 2026, for continuation.

Context: The Allegations and Implications

The case has sparked widespread attention due to the prominence of Jude Okoye in the Nigerian music industry. He is best known as the manager and business partner of the famous P-Square duo, which includes his brother Peter Okoye. The case involves allegations that Okoye misappropriated funds meant for P-Square’s activities, diverting them to Northside Music Limited and other entities without proper authorization.

Okoye’s wife’s ownership of shares in one of the companies under scrutiny raises further questions about the potential for family involvement in the business dealings being investigated. As the case progresses, more details are expected to emerge, shedding light on the dynamics of the music industry’s business practices.