PSquare’s $1M Theft Trial: New Revelations About Northside Music Ltd and Family Involvement

The trial of music mogul Jude Okoye and his company, Northside Music Limited, continued on Friday, December 12, 2025, before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos. Okoye is facing a four-count charge of theft filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with allegations that he diverted over $1 million into Northside Music Limited, a company reportedly operated by him (Okoye) and his wife between 2016 and 2023. The Defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

During cross-examination of Prosecution Witness 1 (PW1), Peter Okoye, the defence Counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN, confronted the witness with bank statements detailing multiple financial transactions made by Northside Music Limited. These included numerous payments to Peter Okoye himself, as well as to entities such as Travelling Better and Titilola, PW1’s wife. Some transactions, for instance, involved payments of N2 million on December 23, 2012, and N2 million on January 3, 2023, to Peter Okoye, alongside other payments on various dates between 2023 and 2023.

Peter Okoye, further explained that the statements belonged to their joint business venture, P-Square. “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”, PW1 stated, reiterating his earlier report to the EFCC upon discovering the alleged fund diversion. He further elaborated that, upon finding another company Northside Entertainment Ltd siphoning their funds, he had raised the alarm with his brother Paul and subsequently, petitioned the EFCC.

In his testimony, Peter Okoye also revealed that Jude Okoye’s wife owns a substantial 800,000 shares in Northside Entertainment Ltd, a revelation that has deepened the allegations surrounding the music executive’s business dealings. “I discovered another company diverting our funds, called Northside Entertainment Company. I showed it to my brother”, he told the court. His testimony shed light on the opaque financial arrangements, within the Okoye brothers’ business empire.

The defence team, led by Onwuenwunor, sought to introduce documents from the EFCC’s investigation into the case, claiming they were vital to their defence. These documents, which originated from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and were subsequently submitted to the EFCC, were to establish the legitimacy of the claims. However, prosecuting Counsel, Bashir, objected, arguing that the documents were not properly stamped and lacked the requisite legal formality.

Justice Oshodi ruled swiftly on the matter, dismissing the documents on the grounds that they did not meet admissibility standards. “I reject the documents and mark them as rejected”, the Judge stated, reinforcing the necessity of strict legal procedures in the trial process.

The case has sent shock-waves through the Nigerian music and entertainment industry, raising questions about financial transparency in the business dealings of some of Nigeria’s most prominent figures. With continuation of trial set for February 20 and 27, 2026, many are watching closely to see how this high-profile case will unfold.

Jude Okoye, the elder brother and Manager of the renowned musical duo P-Square, is a prominent figure in Nigeria’s entertainment industry. Along with his brothers Peter and Paul, he co-founded Northside Music Limited, a company believed to have handled the brothers’ music and business interests. Over the years, Okoye has also been known for his managerial and production roles, in the industry.

Jude Okoye’s trial marks a significant moment in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to address financial misconduct in high-profile sectors, especially in entertainment.