A magistrate in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State has ordered the substitute production of key witnesses in the ongoing investigation into the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad.
They include Azeez Fashola alias Naira Marley; Samson Eletu alias Sam Larry; Mohbad’s sister-in-law Karimot Ogunbayo; Boluwatife Adeyemo alias Darosha and Mohbad’s lawyer Oluwasanmi Falade.
Also on the list were the nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe, who is said to have treated the deceased during this period, and the driver who took him to the hospital, Fidelis Esanbor.
Justice TA Sotobi granted the application of Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, to serve summons on additional witnesses through a reputable national newspaper and social media.
The Aloba family legal team, in a statement signed by Monisola Odumosu and sent to PUNCH Metro on Thursday, said the order was passed during the court sitting on August 16.
The legal team said it has also sought an order from the court of inquiry to issue witness summons to interested persons to testify about the context and circumstances leading to Mohbad’s death.
“Magistrate Sotobi, sitting at the Ikorodu Magistrate Court on Friday, August 16, 2024, agreed with the legal team of Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, that the new witnesses should be served through alternate channels in a reputable national newspaper and on social media to ensure timely appearance of the new witnesses.
“The application moved by the team of lawyers led by Mr. Wahab Shittu SAN (leading Emmanuel Oroko Esq., Miss Monisola Odumosu, Emmanuel Sadoh, Dr. AR Ahmed, Oluyemi Osalusi Esq., Wole Ariyibi and Sadiq Kamo) representing Mr. Joseph Aloba, sought an order by the Court of Inquiry to issue witness summons for interested persons to give evidence about the connections and circumstances that led to the death of late Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba (Mohbad) who died on September 12, 2023 under suspicious circumstances. Mr. Joseph Aloba also sought an order issuing witness summons against Nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe, Boluwatife Adeyemo (AKA Darosha), Karimot Titilayo Ogunbayo, Barr. “Oluwasanmi Falade (Mohbad’s lawyer) and Fidelis Esanbor (driver), Azeez Fashola (alias Naira Marley) and Balogun Samson Eletu are to testify their knowledge of the circumstances that led to the death of Mr. Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba (Mohbad) under suspicious circumstances on September 12, 2023 on a convenient date to be determined by the Coroner,” the statement said.
They further prayed the Court to grant permission, after the orders have been made, to serve the witness summons on the new witnesses by way of substituted service by arranging for publication of the said witness summons in a reputable national newspaper of the country, as this is the only practicable mode of service of the witness summons.
The legal team stated that efforts to have these witnesses served with a subpoena through the court were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the investigating court has also granted the request for reappointment of Mohbad’s wife Wunmi and the IPO ASP Muhammad Yusuf, who was in charge of the case.
Lawyer Akinpelu Ogunbona, who represented the application on behalf of Ibrahim Owodunni alias Primeboy, explained that there were new facts that both Wunmi and the police needed to bring to light in order to get a clear picture of the cause of the singer’s death.
According to the statement, her request for a telephone conversation with Akinpelu A. Ogunbona Esq. is to clarify ambiguous statements regarding the altercation that, according to the singer’s wife, took place in the house.
The investigating judge adjourned the hearing accordingly so that the order could be complied with and the witnesses could be brought before the court at the next adjourned date.
Mohbad died on September 12, 2023 at the age of 27. The circumstances of his death sparked controversy on social media.
Mohbad, a former signee of the Naira Marley-owned record label Marlian Music, left the label in February 2022. The Lagos State Police Command had on September 18, 2023, set up a 13-man Special Investigation Team to investigate the singer’s death.
His death also led to the arrest of, among others, Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry.
The singer’s body was exhumed on September 21, 2023 to perform an autopsy and determine the cause of death.
