'Stay strong brother' - Paul Okoye stand elder broda Jude wey get wahala wit EFCC
Nigeria ogbonge singer Paul Okoye don react afta di Federal High Court for Ikoyi, Lagos state Nigeria order im elder brother and former manager to remain for Ikoyi prison until di court go hear im bail applications.
For one post on im Instagram stories, Paul Okoye alias Rudeboy encourage im brother wey dey face charges wey border on money laundering say, "Dis too shall pass. Stay strong brother".
E also write say "Exactly wetin e want". However, e no dey who e dey refer to, but na public knowledge say serious kwanta dey between Paul Okoye, Peter Okoye, wey be im twin brother and dia elder brother Jude Okoye, and di mata involve di EFCC.
For August 2023, Peter Okoye, di twin brother of Paul wey dem togeda dey sing bin tok say im write petition give EFCC against dia elder brother Jude Okoye and im wife on top accuse of magomago.
E allege say Oga Jude divert P-Square royalties inside secret account, and dat lead tensions and legal threats.
Jude bin deny di allegations, and call dem baseless and defamatory.
Na on Wednesday di Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) drag di former manager of di defunct P-Square music group bifor di Federal High Court on top accuse of money laundering of ₦1.38billion, $1 million and £34,537.59.
Di Nigerian corruption police bin arraign am alongside im company, Northside Music Ltd, bifor Justice Alexander Owoeye on seven-count charges.
Wetin be di charges?
EFCC on dia Instagram account post two of di charges wey allege say Oga Okoye buy properties wit money wey e know say no pure and e convert di sum of about one million dollars to naira wey e spread for different banks for Nigeria.
One of di counts read: "Say you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, for Lagos, within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court, did directly acquire one landed property for No 5, Tony Eromosele Street Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos wey worth ₦850,000,000.00 only, wit money wey you know or suppose know say form part of proceeds from unlawful act and you thereby commit offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of di Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022."
Anoda count read: "Say you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, for Lagos, within di jurisdiction of dis Honourable Court, indirectly use bureau de change to convert di sum of $1,019,762.87 (One million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and six-two dollars eighty-seven cents), wey dey Access Bank Plc wey Northside Music Ltd dey operate and convert am to di naira equivalent wey you spread into various bank accounts and you get intention to hide di money wey be part of di proceeds an unlawful act and thereby commit offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(a) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of di Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022."
'E plead not guilty'
Oga Jude plead not guilty to di charges.
In view of im plea, di prosecution counsel, Larry Peters Aso, apply for a trial date and e say make di court keep am for correctional facility pending trial.
Di defendant counsel, Inibehe Effiong, tell di court about Oga Okoye bail application and e ask di court for short date of adjournment to allow dem hear di application for di bail.
E also say make di court keep am for EFCC custody pending di hearing of di bail application. But di prosecution counsel object, as e argue say EFCC custody don already full wit suspects wey dey await arraignment.
Justice Owoeye adjourn di mata to 28 February for bail hearing and April 14 for trial.
E also order say make di defendant remain for Ikoyi correctional facility.
Who be Jude Okoye
According to di short bio on im Linkedin, Jude Engees Okoye describe imsef as elder brother, video director and artiste manager of P-Square.
E say im dey very famous for im creative approach in video directing wey don make am win plenty awards for di music entertainment industry.
Bifor P-Square scata, Jude play ogbonge role for di success of di music group as na im dey manage im brothers career, e be dia executive producer and na im dey responsible for building dia careers and negotiate deals wey position dem as one of Africa biggest stars.
Afta P-Square split for 2017, Jude start Northside Entertainment, one record label wia e sign and manage oda artists like Cynthia Morgan.
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