Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, on Tuesday, ordered the remand of the former manager of the defunct hip-hop music group, P-Square, at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application over alleged $1m, and £34,000 theft.

Justice Oshodi ordered his remand after taking his plea.

Okoye and his Northside Music Limited Company were arraigned before the court on four counts bordering on stealing and conversion of $1m and £34,000 royalties got from the music digital distribution/publishing.

During the arraignment, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission prosecution counsel, Mohammed Bashiru, told the court that Okoye and Northside Music Limited allegedly stole the sum of $1,019,763.87 and £34,537.59.

Bashiru told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences sometime between 2016 and 2023.

He said Okoye and his Northside Music Limited dishonestly converted the sum of $767,544.15, to his use, the alleged sum which was paid by Lex Records limited as payment for music digital distribution/publishing royalties with the intent to permanently deprive Peter Okoye, his special interest in the property.

The prosecutor also accused Okoye of dishonestly converting the sum of £34,537.59, paid by Lex Records Limited as payment for music digital distribution/ publishing royalties with the intent to permanently deprive Peter Okoye his special interest in the property.

The EFCC alleged that P-Square’s ex-manager dishonestly converted the sum of $133,566.49, which sum was paid by Kobalt Music digital distribution /publishing royalties with the intent to permanently deprive Peter Okoye his special interest in the property.

The anti-graft agency said the defendant dishonestly converted the sum of $118,652.23, paid by Mtech Limited as payment for music digital distribution publishing royalties with the intent to permanently deprive Peter Okoye his special interest in the property.

According to EFCC, the offences committed contravened Sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

Following his not-guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date.




https://punchng.com/p-squares-ex-manager-remanded-over-suspected-theft/