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The Lagos High Court in Ikeja has granted Joseph Aloba, father of the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, permission to challenge the legal advice issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), which cleared Naira Marley, Sam Larry, and two others of involvement in his son’s death.
The court, presided over by Justice Taiwo Olatokun, also approved Aloba’s request to serve the motion for judicial review on Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN).
According to Aloba’s lawyer, Wahab Shittu (SAN), the motion seeks to quash both the DPP’s legal advice and the Yaba Magistrate Court’s decision, delivered by Magistrate Ejiro Kubenje, which discharged Naira Marley (real name Abdulazeez Fashola), Samson Balogun Eletu (Sam Larry), Owoduni Ibrahim (Prime Boy), and Pere Babatunde.
Aloba argued, “While the coroner’s inquest is yet to finish its enquiry, the DPP’s legal advice pre-empted the proceedings and led to the acquittal of the suspects.”
The hearing is set for June 17.
Court documents revealed that Aloba is basing his application on claims of unfair hearing, stressing that the legal advice disregarded the ongoing coroner’s inquest investigating the cause of Mohbad’s death.
He further stated, “The discharged and acquitted suspects have been mentioned and implicated during the coroner’s sessions and were summoned but have not yet appeared to testify.”
Aloba also accused the police and the DPP’s office of acting without informing the coroner, saying, “The police forwarded the investigation to the DPP without updating the coroner’s court. Issuing legal advice before the inquest’s conclusion obstructs the statutory duties of the coroner and undermines the process.”
He is urging the court to set aside the legal advice and uphold the coroner’s authority, arguing that letting the advice stand may weaken the seriousness of the inquest and block efforts to secure justice for Mohbad.
English (US) ·