Peter Okoye has told a Lagos court he collected about $800,000 in P-Square royalties from a French rights body and gave his elder brother, Jude Okoye, none of it. The admission landed on Monday during cross-examination in Jude’s fraud trial, and it has ripped the family fight open again.
Jude and his company, Northside Music Limited, are facing a seven-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged N1.3 billion and $1 million fraud. They have pleaded not guilty. The sums remain allegations before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court. Peter testified virtually. Jude’s lawyer, Clement Onwuewunor, SAN, took him through the money.
The payments came from SACEM, the French society that collects royalties for songwriters, composers and publishers. Counsel put it to Peter that he received about $800,000 from SACEM between 2016 and 2026. He admitted the figure. He also admitted that the 10 songs behind those payments were P-Square songs. Asked if Jude got a cut, he said no. Asked if he even told Jude the money had arrived, he was just as flat.
“No, the money was for the artistes.”
In his telling, the artistes are himself and his twin, Paul Okoye. Jude, he said, is outside that circle.
“Jude is not part of P-Square.”
He added that he and Paul composed, wrote and produced the group’s songs, though he conceded Jude directed some of the videos. On the SACEM paperwork, he accepted that Jude signed the contract, then insisted it was signed for “the team,” a team he said did not include Jude.
Peter said he had no personal employment contract with his brother. The arrangement, he told the court, ran through Northside Entertainment Limited. He also admitted he had once paid Jude a quarter of his own SACEM share, then said that courtesy ended. After their 2022 reconciliation, he denied any demand for quarterly cuts.
The same sitting undercut another of Peter’s public complaints. He had said it took Jude more than three months to send backend royalty records after a 2022 request. Defence counsel said the request was dated October 16, 2022, and the file arrived six days later, on October 22. Peter insisted he asked earlier. Asked for a text, email or paper that proved an earlier date, he folded.
“No. I don’t have any and I can’t recall.”
He did confirm receiving the report Jude sent. It covered royalties from 2016 to 2022, including Lex Records. He said the document was pulled because buyers were circling the P-Square catalogue. He also confirmed Jude forwarded account information in 2022 and that the EFCC knew the report had reached him.
The testimony sits inside a feud that has already split the group twice. P-Square broke up in 2017 over Jude’s role as manager, reunited in 2021, then came apart again. In August, Peter accused Jude of shutting him out of catalogue money, including a $25,000 payment. Jude denied the claims.
Read 10 Shocking Revelations Made by Peter ‘Mr P’ Okoye
The court has adjourned further hearing to December 8 and 9, 2026.