Jude Okoye, the older brother and former manager of the once-celebrated Nigerian music group P-Square, has been remanded in prison following fresh charges of fraud amounting to over $1 million and £34,000. The charges, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, have placed Okoye at the center of a storm of legal and familial turmoil.
Okoye faces a four-count charge, accusing him of dishonestly converting music royalties to his own use, depriving his brother, Peter “Mr. P” Okoye, of his rightful share of the proceeds. The charges, dated January 27, 2025, specifically allege that Okoye and his company, Northside Music Limited, converted substantial sums of money intended for music distribution and publishing royalties. These include:
$767,544.15 from Lex Records Limited for digital distribution royalties.
£34,537.59 from Lex Records Limited for digital distribution royalties.
$133,566.49 from Kobalt Music Services Limited for digital distribution royalties.
$118,652.23 from Mech Limited for digital distribution royalties.
The EFCC has accused Okoye of violating sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The charges suggest that his actions were aimed at permanently depriving his brother of the benefits from the payments.
Okoye, who appeared before Justice Ramon Oshodi of the Ikeja High Court on Tuesday, pleaded “not guilty” to the charges. His defense counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor, argued that Okoye is already involved in a similar case at the Ikoyi court and has been granted bail in that matter. The lawyer emphasized that the dispute at hand is a family issue between Okoye and his brothers, asserting that Okoye is a prominent figure unlikely to abscond.
However, MK Bashiru, the prosecuting lawyer, opposed the bail application, stating that he had yet to file a response. Justice Oshodi ruled that the bail application would not be granted hastily, pending a full review of the prosecution’s response. The court is scheduled to hear the matter on March 6. Okoye’s trial has been set for May 16 and 23.
This latest legal battle comes just a day after Okoye was granted N100 million bail over similar fraud charges. Last week, he was arraigned by the EFCC on charges of laundering N1.38 billion, $1 million, and £34,537.59. After pleading “not guilty,” he was remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Facility by a federal high court judge.
The controversy surrounding Okoye has its roots in the 2017 fallout between his twin brothers, Paul and Peter Okoye, which led to the dissolution of P-Square and the pursuit of solo careers. The rift was largely fueled by a disagreement over Jude’s role as their manager. Despite a brief reconciliation in November 2021, tensions resurfaced in August 2024 when Paul accused Peter of orchestrating his arrest by the EFCC. Peter, in turn, denied the allegations and accused Jude of diverting millions of dollars from their joint account into a secret company.
In response, Jude stated that he had done everything possible to mend the rift between his brothers, even “sacrificing himself” in the process.
