Lagos, August 23, 2024 – 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 court granted an application by Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, to serve a witness summons on additional witnesses through a reputable national newspaper and social media. The list of witnesses includes:
Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley
Samson Eletu aka Sam Larry
Mohbad’s sister-in-law, Karimot Ogunbayo
Boluwatife Adeyemo aka Darosha
Mohbad’s lawyer, Oluwasanmi Falade
The nurse who treated the deceased, Feyisayo Ogedengbe
The driver who drove Mohbad to the hospital, Fidelis Esanbor
Magistrate T. A. Sotobi, who presided over the court session on August 16, 2024, agreed with the legal team representing Mohbad’s father that the new witnesses should be served via substituted means, as efforts to serve them directly had been unsuccessful.
The legal team, led by Mr. Wahab Shittu SAN, argued that the application sought an order for the coroner’s court to issue Witness Summons on these individuals to give evidence on the connection and circumstances leading to Mohbad’s death, which occurred in suspicious circumstances on September 12, 2023.
The court also granted the application to recall Mohbad’s wife, Wunmi, and the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in charge of the case, ASP Muhammad Yusuf. This is to shed light on new issues and provide a clearer picture of the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.
Mohbad, who was 27 years old, died on September 12, 2023, sparking controversies on social media due to the circumstances surrounding his passing. Being a former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad’s death led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, amongst others.
The coroner’s court has adjourned the proceedings to allow for the compliance with the order of substituted service and the subsequent appearance of the witnesses.
