The continued hearing in the trial of Jude Okoye, the former manager of the defunct music group P-Square, was stalled on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Lagos following the absence of the prosecution's witness and nominal complainant, Peter Okoye, who was scheduled to undergo cross-examination by the defence team. Jude Okoye and his musical firm, Northside Music Limited, are standing trial before Justice Alexander Owoeye over allegations bordering on an N1.3 billion and $1 million fraud. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had previously arraigned the defendants before the court on a seven-count charge, to which they pleaded not guilty.
At the resumed proceedings of the matter, the counsel for the anti-graft agency, G. C. Akaogu, informed the court that the witness was unable to attend the day's proceedings because his flight from Abuja to Lagos had been disrupted. The prosecutor explained that the witness contacted him to explain the development and subsequently requested the court to grant an adjournment to another date. In his submission to the court, the prosecutor stated, “The witness called and told me that his flight from Abuja was rescheduled. That was why he could not make it to court today,” He further noted, “I equally informed the learned Silk of this development this morning,”
However, the counsel to the defendants, Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN, strongly challenged the explanation put forward by the prosecution team. While confirming that he had indeed been notified of the development earlier in the morning, the senior advocate openly questioned the claim that Peter Okoye was stuck outside Lagos due to a flight rescheduling. Onwuenwunor informed the court that he had received alternative information indicating that the witness had not left Lagos at all. Expressing his displeasure to the court, the defence counsel remarked, “The prosecutor informed me of the development when I was at Falomo, close to the court. I complained bitterly because I ought to be in Akure for another matter,”
The senior advocate further maintained that the witness was within the state and that the excuse provided by the prosecution lacked merit. He submitted, “In fact, I was just told that the witness did not travel. He is in Lagos, and I do not know why the prosecutor said his flight was rescheduled,” The presiding judge, Justice Owoeye, did not make any formal pronouncements or findings regarding the conflicting assertions raised by both parties concerning the actual whereabouts of the witness. Consequently, the trial judge adjourned the matter until September 21, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.
The criminal charge before the federal court arose from investigations conducted by the EFCC, which alleged that Jude Okoye and Northside Music Limited actively participated in fraudulent transactions totaling N1.3 billion and $1 million. The defendants have consistently maintained their innocence, denying all the allegations brought against them by the federal government and entering a plea of not guilty to the entire seven counts.
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