$1m Theft: Court Refuses To Admit Jude Okoye’s Evidence

Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court has declared some documentary exhibits tendered by the former manager of P-Square Group, Jude Okoye, in his ongoing trial over allegations of stealing $1 million and £34,537 from his brother, Peter Okoye.

Justice Oshodi rejected the exhibits on the ground that they did not meet the admissibility requirements of the law.

The judge agreed with the arguments made by the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ahmed Bashir, that the documents were misleading, irrelevant, and not part of the official court record.

Consequently, the court struck out the evidence.

This decision mirrored a previous ruling on November 28, when a similar attempt by the defence to submit contested documents was also rejected following EFCC ‘s objections.

Okoye is facing a four-count charge of theft brought against him by the EFCC.

The charges involve allegations that he diverted over $1 million into Northside Music Limited, a company he and his wife managed from 2016 to 2023.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

With the evidence discarded, the case proceeded, with Peter Okoye (Mr P) giving testimony as a key witness regarding allegations of the diversion of P-Square’s royalties and earnings.

During cross-examination, Peter explained that the defence’s tactics seemed aimed at diverting attention from the main issue: the alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to Northside Entertainment Limited – a company jointly owned by Peter, Paul and Jude Okoye – which was allegedly diverted into the accounts of a separate entity, Northside Music Limited.

The witness stated that these irregularities became evident after P-Square’s split, when publishers and aggregators stopped paying royalties into Northside Entertainment’s official accounts. Internal audits and bank statements revealed that royalties, licence fees, advances, and digital revenues tied to P-Square were diverted to Northside Music Limited.

Peter claimed that this company, allegedly founded by Jude Okoye and his wife without board approval, was not part of P-Square’s recognised business structure when the diversion occurred.

He told the court that the redirection of funds was done without the knowledge or approval of all directors, leading him to petition the EFCC. Investigations confirmed claims of unauthorised diversion and misappropriation.

Peter also testified that attempts to include P-Square Records in the case were distractions from the central issue of a prolonged, unlawful financial scheme.

The court adjourned the case to February 20, 2026, for further cross-examination.