The Coroner’s Court in Ikorodu, Lagos State, has approved the family of late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba popularly known as Mohbad, to issue a witness summons to additional individuals.
Magistrate T. A. Sotobi ordered substituted service on key witnesses in the ongoing inquest into Mohbad’s death. The court directed the family to publish the application in a widely read national newspaper and on social media platforms to ensure timely service.
The witnesses are Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley; Samson Eletu aka Sam Larry; Mohbad’s sister-in-law, Karimot Ogunbayo; Boluwatife Adeyemo aka Darosha and Mohbad’s lawyer, Oluwasanmi Falade.
Other individuals to be served with witness summonses include Feyisayo Ogedengbe, the nurse who allegedly treated the deceased during his final days, and Fidelis Esanbor, the driver who transported him to the hospital.
In a statement issued by their legal representative, Monisola Odumosu, the Aloba family announced that the Coroner’s Court granted their request on August 16, 2024.
The legal team revealed that they had also sought and obtained an order to issue witness summons to individuals with relevant information, compelling them to testify about the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death and any potential connections to it.
The statement said 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”.
It said, “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.”
Furthermore, the Coroner’s Court approved the application to recall two key witnesses: Wunmi, the late Mohbad’s wife, and ASP Muhammad Yusuf, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) handling the case, to provide additional testimony.
