In a dramatic turn at the Lagos High Court in Ikeja on Friday, the legal battle involving Nigerian pop star Peter Okoye of P-Square and his estranged former manager Jude Okoye took a new twist as the defence counsel accused Peter of making misleading claims to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Clement Onwuenwunor, representing Jude Okoye, told the court that Peter’s statements to the EFCC were inconsistent and deceptive. According to him, Peter’s testimonies were aimed at damaging Jude Okoye’s image and diverting attention from the facts of the case.
The EFCC had charged Jude Okoye and his company, Northside Music Limited, with allegedly converting over $767,000 for personal use. Jude has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
Peter had earlier testified that Jude defrauded him and that he was unaware of financial dealings within Northside Music. However, during a heated cross-examination, the defence questioned Peter’s credibility.
One major point raised was Peter’s claim to be a graduate of the University of Abuja. The defence presented EFCC documents where Peter had stated he was a graduate, but in court, he admitted he did not complete his studies, saying instead that he merely “attended” the university.
The defence further pointed out contradictions in Peter’s account of how the company’s bank accounts were managed. While Peter claimed Jude was the only person with financial control, documents presented in court showed that Peter and his twin brother Paul were listed as Category B signatories, giving them access to the same accounts.
Bank records were also shown to the court, indicating that Peter had made withdrawals in both naira and dollars. Transfers made directly to him by Jude were also included in the evidence, suggesting that Peter benefited financially—despite his previous claim that he received nothing.
Onwuenwunor also challenged Peter’s statements about royalties from Mad Solutions, the company managing P-Square’s catalogue. Peter had claimed he only received two small payments of $25,000 and $20,000, and that he was unaware of the contract with the company.
But the defence submitted signed documents proving that all three—Peter, Paul, and Jude—agreed to the deal. It was also revealed that Peter actually received much smaller payments of $4,330.47 and $5,837.35, contrary to what he said under oath.
“Peter’s testimony before the EFCC is riddled with lies and misrepresentations. He has made multiple assertions that have now been shown to be false under cross-examination. This is not just a matter of forgetfulness. This is an intentional effort to mislead investigators and this honourable court,” Onwuenwunor told the court.
Justice Rahman Oshodi accepted several documents, including EFCC statements and bank records, into evidence. He also advised that all future documents be shared with the prosecution in advance to avoid delays.
“If you intend to use a document, make it available to them to make the trial faster,” he said.
The trial is scheduled to continue on October 10 and 17, 2025.
