Court Approves Substituted Summons for Naira Marley, Sam Larry, Others in Mohbad’s Death Inquest

A Coroner’s Court in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State has ordered substituted service on key witnesses in the ongoing inquest into the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.

The witnesses include Azeez Fashola, known as Naira Marley; Samson Eletu, also known as Sam Larry; Mohbad’s sister-in-law, Karimot Ogunbayo; Boluwatife Adeyemo, also known as Darosha; and Mohbad’s lawyer, Oluwasanmi Falade EKO HOT BLOG gathered.

Additionally, the nurse who reportedly treated Mohbad during his final days, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, and the driver who transported him to the hospital, Fidelis Esanbor, are also on the list.

EDITOR’S PICKS

• Midnight Fire Destroys Multi-Million Naira Goods in Anambra Market
• Poland Tightens Student Visa Rules Amid Scandal Over System Abuse
• FG Mandates Submission of Matriculation Lists to Combat Fake Degrees

Magistrate T. A. Sotobi granted the application filed by Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, allowing witness summons to be served on these individuals through a reputable national newspaper and social media.

In a statement issued by the Aloba family’s legal team, signed by Monisola Odumosu on Thursday, the order was confirmed to have been granted during the court’s sitting on August 16.

The legal team also sought the court’s permission to issue Witness Summons to additional persons with relevant information regarding the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death.

“Magistrate Sotobi, sitting at the Ikorodu Magistrate Court on Friday, August 16, 2024, agreed with the legal team representing Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, that the new witnesses should be served via substituted means, ensuring their prompt attendance in court,” the statement read.

The application, led by Mr. Wahab Shittu SAN, along with a team of legal experts, requested the court to issue Witness Summons to the individuals connected to the suspicious death of Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba (Mohbad), who died on September 12, 2023. The court was also asked to serve these summons through publication in a reputable national newspaper, given the challenges in serving them directly.

The legal team highlighted that attempts to serve the witness summons through conventional means had been unsuccessful.

FURTHER READING

• Tinubu Approves Reconstruction Of Wagga Bridge Linking Adamawa, Borno
• Police Name Suspect Behind Hotel Presidential Dynamite Blast
• Mother, Five Children Die After Eating Local Delicacy In Kano

Furthermore, the coroner’s court granted the application to recall Mohbad’s wife, Wunmi, and the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in charge of the case, ASP Muhammad Yusuf. A lawyer representing Ibrahim Owodunni, also known as Primeboy, argued that new issues had arisen that required clarification from both Wunmi and the police to provide a clearer picture of the circumstances leading to the singer’s death.

The coroner adjourned the case, ordering compliance with the summons and the presence of the witnesses in court on the next adjourned date.

Mohbad, who passed away at 27 on September 12, 2023, left behind a cloud of controversy regarding the circumstances of his death. Formerly signed to Marlian Music, owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad parted ways with the label in February 2022. Following his death, the Lagos State Police Command established a 13-man special investigation team on September 18, 2023, to probe the incident.

The singer’s death led to the arrest of Naira Marley, controversial Lagos socialite Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, and others. Mohbad’s body was exhumed on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy to determine the cause of his death.

Click here to watch our video of the week: