Mohbad: Court Orders Substituted Service On Naira Marley, Sam Larry, Others

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

The witnesses include Azeez Fashola, famously known as Naira Marley, and Samson Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, both of whom have been embroiled in controversies following Mohbad’s death.

Other individuals summoned include Mohbad’s sister-in-law, Karimot Ogunbayo; Boluwatife Adeyemo, also known as Darosha; Mohbad’s lawyer, Oluwasanmi Falade; nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe, who reportedly treated the late singer; and Fidelis Esanbor, the driver who transported Mohbad to the hospital.

The court’s decision to issue substituted service was granted following an application by Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, who sought to ensure the attendance of these key witnesses at the inquest.

The legal team representing the Aloba family, led by Mr. Wahab Shittu SAN, presented the application during the court’s session on August 16, 2024.

The court granted the request, allowing the witness summons to be served through a reputable national newspaper and social media platforms to expedite the process.

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“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 further asked the court that upon the grant of the orders, to grant leave to serve the witness summons to be issued on the new witnesses by substituted service by causing the said witness summons to be published in any reputable national newspaper within the country as the only viable means of service of the witness summons.

The legal team stated that efforts to get these witnesses served witness summons through the court have been unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, the coroner’s court also granted the application to recall Mohbad’s wife, Wunmi, and the IPO in charge of the case, ASP Muhammad Yusuf.

A lawyer, Akinpelu Ogunbona, who argued the application on behalf of Ibrahim Owodunni aka Primeboy, stated that there were new issues both Wunmi and the police needed to shed light upon to give a clear picture of what killed the singer.

According to the statement, their request to be called by Akinpelu A. Ogunbona Esq. is to make clear some ambiguous statements regarding the fight the singer’s wife alleged happened 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.

Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.

Being a former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022. The Lagos State Police Command had on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death.

His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, amongst others.

The singer’s body was on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.