By Nkechi Eze
The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, arraigned Jude Chigozie Okoye, older brother and ex-manager of Paul and Peter Okoye, before Justice Rahman Oshodi of a Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on fresh four-count charges bordering on stealing to the tune of $1,019,762.87( One Million, Nineteen Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand United States Dollars, Eighty Seven Cents) and £34,537.59( Thirty Four Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Pound Sterling, Fifty Nine Pence)
According to a statement signed by the commission’s spokesperson Dele Oyewale, Jude who was arraigned alongside his company, Northside Music Ltd, is facing a separate seven-count charge before Justice A.O. Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The fresh offences are alleged to have been committed between 2016 and 2023, and contravene Sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
One of the charges reads: “Jude Chigozie Okoye and Northside Music Ltd sometimes in 2016 and 2023 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to your own use, an aggregate sum of $767,544.15 (Seven hundred and sixty-seven thousand, Five hundred and forty-four dollars, Fifteen cents) which sum was paid by Lex Records Limited as payment for music digital distribution/publishing royalties and with intent to permanently deprive Peter Obunmuneme Okoye his special interest in the property.”
Another charge reads: “Jude Chigozie Okoye and Northside Music Limited between 2016 and 2023 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to your own use, an aggregate sum of GBP 34,537.59 (Thirty-four thousand, five hundred and thirty-seven pounds, Fifty-nine pence), which sum was paid by Lex Records Limited as payment for music digital distribution/publishing royalties and with intent to permanently deprive Peter Obunmuneme Okoye his special interest in the property.”
He was further alleged to have diverted the sum of $133,566.49( One Hundred and Thirty Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Six Dollars, Forty Nine cents) paid by Kobalt Music Services Limited and $118,652.23( One Hundred and Eighteen Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty Two Dollars, Twenty three cents) paid by Mtech Limited paid as royalties.
He pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to him.
Prosecution counsel, M.K. Bashir, thereafter, applied for a trial date and for him to be remanded in a Correctional Centre .
The defence counsel, Clement Onwenwnor, SAN, however, informed the court of the bail application of his client, and prayed for a short adjournment for hearing.
Onwenwnor also prayed that the defendant be remanded in EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of the bail application.
“He was just arraigned before Justice Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi on similar matter, and was granted bail on 3rd of March 2025,” he said.
Bashir, however, objected to the prayer for the defendant to be remanded in EFCC’s custody.
“Since he has already taken his plea, we urge the court to remand him in the correctional facility,” he said.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter till March 6, 2025 for the hearing of the bail application and May 16 and 23, 2025 for trial, and ordered that the defendant be remanded in Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
