A Coroner’s Court in Ikorodu, Lagos State, has mandated substituted service for crucial witnesses in the ongoing investigation into the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad.
Among them are Mohbad’s sister-in-law Karimot Ogunbayo, Azeez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, Samson Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, Boluwatife Adeyemo, also known as Darosha, and Oluwasanmi Falade, Mohbad’s attorney.
The list also included Fidelis Esanbor, the driver who brought the deceased to the hospital, and Feyisayo Ogedengbe, the nurse who is believed to have cared for him during that time.
The request by Joseph Aloba, Mohbad’s father, to serve a witness summons on more witnesses via social media and a respectable national newspaper was approved by Magistrate T. A. Sotobi.
The order was granted during the court’s August 16 sitting, according to a statement from the Aloba family’s legal team that was signed by Monisola Odumosu and sent to Punch on Thursday.
According to the legal team, they also requested a warrant from the coroner’s court to summon interested parties as witnesses to testify about the events and circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death.
“Magistrate Sotobi, sitting at the Ikorodu Magistrate court Friday 16 August 2024 agreed with the legal team of Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, that the new witnesses should be served via substituted means in a reputable national newspaper and social media to ensure prompt attendance of the new witnesses.
“The application, which was argued by the legal team led by Mr Wahab Shittu SAN (leading Emmanuel Oroko Esq., Miss. Monisola Odumosu, Emmanuel Sadoh, Dr. A.R. Ahmed, Oluyemi Osalusi Esq., Wole Ariyibi and Sadiq Kamo) representing Mr Joseph Aloba, sought an order of the coroner’s court to issue Witness Summons on interested persons as witnesses to give evidence on the connection and circumstances leading to the death of late Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba (Mohbad), who died in suspicious circumstances on September 12, 2023. Mr. Joseph Aloba also asked for an order to issue Witness Summons against Nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe, Boluwatife Adeyemo (A.K.A Darosha), Karimot Titilayo Ogunbayo, Barr. Oluwasanmi Falade (Mohbad’s lawyer), and Fidelis Esanbor (driver), Azeez Fashola (aka Naira Marley), Balogun Samson Eletu respectively, to give evidence of what they know in connection and circumstances leading to the death of Mr Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba (Mohbad), in suspicious circumstances on the 12th day of September 2023 on a date convenient and to be determined by the coroner,” the statement read.
They also requested permission from the court to use substituted service to serve the witness summons on the new witnesses after the orders were granted. This would be accomplished by having the witness summons published in any respected national newspaper in the nation, as this would be the only practical way to serve the summons.
According to the legal team, there has been no success in serving witness summonses on these individuals through the court system.
Concurrently, the application to recall Mohbad’s spouse, Wunmi, and the IPO overseeing the case, ASP Muhammad Yusuf, was approved by the coroner’s court.
Akinpelu Ogunbona, the attorney representing Ibrahim Owodunni, also known as Primeboy, argued the application, pointing out that in order to provide a clear picture of the singer’s death, Wunmi and the police needed to address new issues.
The statement claims that they are requesting a call from Akinpelu A. Ogunbona Esq. in order to clarify certain unclear statements about the fight that the singer’s wife claims occurred in the house.
The coroner accordingly adjourned for the order to be complied with and the witnesses to be brought to court on the next adjourned date.
On September 12, 2023, Mohbad passed away at the age of 27, and the circumstances surrounding his passing sparked debates on social media.
Mohbad, a former signee of Naira Marley’s Marlian Music record label, departed the label in February 2022. A 13-person special investigation team was established by the Lagos State Police Command on September 18, 2023, to look into the singer’s death.
Along with other people, his death resulted in the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite Balogun Eletu, better known as Sam Larry.
On September 21, 2023, the singer’s body was dug up for an autopsy to determine the cause of his passing.
