The Coroner’s Court in Ikorodu, Lagos State, has ordered substituted service for key witnesses in the ongoing inquiry into the death of artist Ilerioluwa Aloba, commonly known as Mohbad.
These include Azeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley; Samson Eletu, aka Sam Larry; Karimot Ogunbayo, Mohbad’s sister-in-law; Boluwatife Adeyemo, aka Darosha; and Mohbad’s lawyer, Oluwasanmi Falade.
The list also includes Feyisayo Ogedengbe, the nurse who was said to have treated the deceased at the time, and Fidelis Esanbor, the driver who transported him to the hospital.
Magistrate T. A. Sotobi allowed Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba’s, request to serve a witness summons on additional witnesses through a recognized national newspaper and social media.
The Aloba family’s legal team said in a statement signed by Monisola Odumosu and emailed to Newsmen on Thursday that the order was issued during the August 16 court session.
The legal team also sought that the coroner’s court issue Witness Summons to interested people who could provide evidence on the link and circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death.
“Magistrate Sotobi, sitting at the Ikorodu Magistrate Court on Friday, August 16, 2024, agreed with Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba’s legal team, that the new witnesses should be served via substituted means in a reputable national newspaper and social media to ensure prompt attendance.
“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 that the court grant leave to serve the witness summons to be issued on the new witnesses by substituted service, which would entail having the witness summons published in any reputable national newspaper within the country as the only viable means of service.
The legal team claimed that attempts to serve these witnesses with witness summons through the judicial system had failed. Meanwhile, the coroner’s court granted a request to recall Mohbad’s wife, Wunmi, and the IPO in charge of the inquiry, ASP Muhammad Yusuf.
Akinpelu Ogunbona, a lawyer who argued the motion on behalf of Ibrahim Owodunni, alias Primeboy, stated that both Wunmi and the police needed to address new concerns in order to offer a complete picture of what killed the singer. According to the statement, their request to be called by Akinpelu A. Ogunbona Esq. is intended to explain various unclear statements about the fight that the singer’s wife claims occurred in the house. The coroner then delayed the case until the order was executed and the witnesses appeared in court on the following adjourned date.
It should be noted that Mohbad died at the age of 27 on September 12, 2023, and the circumstances surrounding his death sparked controversy on social media.