P-Square: Court Adjourns Jude Okoye’s Fraud Trial As Peter Misses Cross-examination

The ongoing trial of Jude Okoye, who previously managed the now-defunct music ensemble P-Square, was halted on Wednesday at a Federal High Court in Lagos due to the absence of Peter Okoye, famously referred to as Mr P.

Peter, who is the main complainant in this case, was slated to undergo cross-examination by the defense team during the resumed session.

Jude Okoye, along with his business entity, Northside Music Limited, faces charges before Justice Alexander Owoeye concerning an alleged fraud involving ₦1.3 billion and $1 million.

This trial is part of a series of legal issues involving the Okoye family, members of which composed the highly successful music group P-Square, which disbanded some time ago.

Reports by Naija News indicate that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought Jude and his company before the court on seven counts related to the purported fraud.

The accused, however, have refuted the charges and entered a not guilty plea.

At the resumed session, the prosecuting attorney, G. Akaogu, informed the court that Peter was unable to attend the proceedings due to a flight rescheduling from Abuja to Lagos.

Akaogu conveyed that the witness had reached out to him to provide an explanation for his failure to be present for cross-examination.

“The witness called and stated that his flight from Abuja had been rescheduled, which is why he could not appear in court. I also updated the learned Silk on this situation this morning,” said the prosecutor.

In light of this situation, the prosecutor requested the court to set another date to allow the witness to come for cross-examination.

The defendant's counsel, Clement Onwuewunor, SAN, acknowledged that he was informed about the witness’s absence but disagreed with the prosecution’s explanation.

Onwuewunor articulated to the court that he received this information while he was nearing the court building, indicating he had another case to attend to in Akure, Ondo State.

He mentioned that a trustworthy source had informed him that Peter was already in Lagos as of Wednesday evening.

“The prosecutor notified me of this development when I was at Falomo, near the courthouse. I expressed my displeasure since I was supposed to be in Akure for another matter,” stated the defense counsel.

“Indeed, I was just made aware that the witness did not travel; he is presently in Lagos, and I do not understand why the prosecutor claimed his flight was rescheduled,” Onwuewunor added.

After hearing from both sides, Justice Owoeye postponed the case until September 21, 2026, for further proceedings.

This adjournment indicates that Peter’s cross-examination by the defense will resume on the next scheduled date, contingent on his availability.