Former P-Square manager, Jude Okoye, has dismissed allegations by his younger brother, Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P, that he diverted more than $1.2 million in music royalties.
Jude insists the claims have already been investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and are now before the court.
In a video posted on Instagram on Sunday, Jude accused Mr P of attempting to influence public opinion while legal proceedings were still ongoing.
“You are trying to bait me. You know the court is not going to your favour,” Jude said.
He further alleged that Mr P had repeatedly failed to honour court appearances, saying, “Why are you dodging to make appearance in court? For three good sittings now, you dey dodge court.”
Responding to allegations that he and his younger brother, Paul Okoye, popularly known as Rudeboy, diverted a royalty payment of about $25,000, Jude maintained that the transaction was carried out based on Mr P’s instructions in 2016.
According to him, records from digital music distributor IROKO showed that Peter directed his share of the royalties to be paid into his personal account, while the balance belonging to Jude and Rudeboy was paid into the Northside Entertainment account.
“Peter’s money was sent to him directly. Peter knows this. This has been trashed by the EFCC. We are still in court. How do you explain this?” Jude stated.
Jude also rejected claims that Mr P was removed as a signatory to P-Square’s bank accounts, saying the official bank mandate, which had already been tendered before the court, confirmed otherwise.
“Peter remained a signatory to all P-Square accounts,” he said.
He also disputed Mr P’s claim that it took three and a half months to hand over backend access to the group’s music catalogue.
According to Jude, the requested records were released within six days, while download logs showed Peter accessed the files immediately after they were made available.
Jude further challenged Mr P’s assertion that he only recently began receiving royalty payments in United States dollars, maintaining that payment records showed the singer had been paid in dollars since 2012.
Rejecting allegations that more than $1.2 million in royalties had been diverted, Jude insisted all royalty payments were properly documented and distributed in line with existing agreements.
He also disclosed that the dispute had taken a personal toll, saying, “They’ve frozen my account for over two years. For over two years, I can’t travel.”
The latest exchange adds another layer to the long-running dispute between the Okoye brothers, as the royalty case continues before the court with both parties maintaining opposing positions.
(The Sun)