DEFENDANT’S WIFE OWNS 800,000 SHARES IN COMPANY, WITNESS TELLS COURT IN JUDE OKOYE’S $1M THEFT TRIAL

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The trial of music executive Jude Okoye and his company, Northside Music Limited, over an alleged $1 million theft, continued on Friday, December 12, 2025, before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos.

Okoye is facing a four-count charge of stealing filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which accused him of diverting funds into Northside Music Limited allegedly operated by him and his wife between 2016 and 2023. He has pleaded not guilty.

During further cross-examination of Prosecution Witness 1 (PW1), Peter Okoye, defence counsel Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN) confronted him with several transactions from the company’s bank statements, listing multiple transfers running into millions of naira. The entries included:

N2m on Dec. 23, 2012 to Peter Okoye

N2m on Jan. 3, 2023 to Peter Okoye

N1m on Jan. 12, 2023 to Peter Okoye

N6.5m on Jan. 19, 2023 to Peter Okoye

N2.5m on Jan. 23, 2023 to PW1’s wife, Titilola

Several payments to a travel firm, Travelling Better, between January and March 2023

Additional transfers to PW1 throughout 2023, including N3.7m on Sept. 9 and N1.25m on Dec. 15

Responding, PW1 clarified that the statement of account belonged to the joint business he shares with his brother.

“This statement of account belongs to me and my brother. We are P-Square. The company belongs to Peter and Paul,” he said, adding that he petitioned the EFCC after discovering alleged diversion of funds.

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PW1 also told the court that he uncovered another company, Northside Entertainment Ltd, which he claimed was involved in diverting P-Square’s earnings.

He further testified that the defendant’s wife owns 800,000 shares in the company at the centre of the alleged diversion.

During proceedings, the defence attempted to tender documents purportedly attached to the original EFCC petition. But prosecuting counsel Bashir objected, arguing that although stamped as Certified True Copies, the documents were public documents not properly tendered, not attached to the petition, and failed to satisfy legal requirements.

In a ruling, Justice Oshodi upheld the objection.

“I reject the documents and mark them as rejected,” he said.

PW1 confirmed he made a statement to the EFCC following his lawyer’s petition.

The court adjourned the matter to February 20 and 27, 2026, for continuation of trial.