The Economic and Financial Crime Commission has arraigned Jude Okoye, the manager to the music duo, P-square alongside his company, Northside Music Ltd before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday.
He was arraigned before Justice Alexander Owoeye over alleged money laundering involving N1.38 billion, $1 million and £34, 537.59. Okoye is currently facing a seven-count charge related to financial crimes.
One of the charge reads: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd, sometime in 2022 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth ₦850,000,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty million naira) only, which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful acts, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another charge alleges that the music executive and his company used a Bureau de Change operator to convert $1,019,762.87 (One million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and sixty-two dollars, eighty-seven cents) domiciled in Access Bank Plc into naira and remitted the funds into various accounts with the intent to conceal the source of the money, in violation of the Money Laundering Act.
Jude Okoye however pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
Following his not-guilty plea, the commission’s counsel, Larry Peters Aso applied for a trial date and requested that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility pending trial.
Justice Owoeye adjourned the case to February 28 for a bail hearing and fixed April 14 for trial commencement.
The judge also ordered that Jude Okoye be remanded at the Ikoyi correctional facility pending the determination of his bail application.
