Mohbad: Naira Marley, Sam Larry absent at coroner’s inquest; mum makes U-turn

On Wednesday, singer Naira Marley and his associate, Sam Larry, shunned the invitation to appear before a Coroner Court sitting in Ikorodu, Lagos State, investigating the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad.

Mohbad died a year ago, and the cause of death is yet unknown.

A few days after the singer’s death, the Lagos State police arrested and detained Naira Marley and Sam Larry in connection with his death.

The detention of Sam Larry and Naira Marley followed allegations of bullying and harassment levelled against them, which led to a public outrage over Mohbad’s death.

Sam Larry and Naira Marley were arraigned before a Yaba Magistrate’s Court on 6 October in connection to Mohbad’s death and were later remanded in police custody

However, in November 2023, Sam Larry and Naira Marley were released from custody after meeting their bail conditions. Sam Larry spent about 50 days in custody, while Naira Marley spent about 44 days in custody.

In August, the Aloba family legal team, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, said Magistrate T. A. Sotobi of the coroner court ordered the witnesses in the ongoing case to be served an order through a national newspaper or social media

This followed a court order sought by Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, to issue witness summons to some interested parties to unravel the circumstances that led to Mohbad’s death.

The summoned witnesses include Naira Marley and Sam Larry, Mohbad’s sister-in-law, Karimot Ogunbayo; Mohbad’s lawyer, Oluwasanmi Falade; his PA, Boluwatife Adeyemo aka Darosha; the nurse who treated Mohbad during the period, Feyisayo Ogedengbe; and the driver who drove Mohbad to the hospital, Fidelis Esanbor.

In its Thursday report, The Punch newspaper stated that Taiwo Odumosun, the head of the Aloba family’s legal team, revealed that Darosha was the only witness who appeared during the court session.

Subpoena

Additionally, Mr Odumosun added that, with Naira Marley, Sam Larry, and others absent, the magistrate considered issuing a subpoena if they did not appear at the next court sitting.

A subpoena issued by a court of law is a legal document that compels a person to appear in court or to produce documents or other evidence.

Punch quoted the Aloba family’s attorney as saying, “Today’s sitting was to continue with the examination of witnesses to know what happened to Mohbad and how he died. So, among all the critical witnesses invited and served through substituted means, only Darosha was in court.

“Meanwhile, the magistrate said she would issue another witness summons one last chance. She said they will be subpoenaed if they fail to appear on the next adjourned date.”

The hearing had been adjourned till 30 September.

Police investigation

Punch, however, reported that the Aloba family voiced deep disappointment and frustration with the police investigation into their son’s death.

In a statement signed by Emmanuel Oroko of Hilceetee Partners, the family’s lawyer, Mr Odumosu, condemned the police for prematurely relying on witness accounts without conducting a comprehensive investigation.

Expressing his discontent, Mr Odumosu criticised the police’s handling of the case, stating, “On all fronts of the investigation, the police officers who investigated the murder of the late singer exhibited overt complicity in the narrative. The police relied on witnesses’ views to reach legal conclusions. They failed to tell us what investigation they carried out and what they discovered.

“Secondly, when the court granted us an order to conduct an independent autopsy and toxicology test, the police refused to cooperate with us. Based on our interaction with the forensic pathologists and their requirements, we wrote to the police to give them access to the forensic experts to see items taken from the crime scene, including their notes. All these will help the forensic experts better view what happened and form a reasonable conclusion after considering all facts and evidence.”

He further alleged that the police had not communicated details regarding when the pathologists should visit to examine the items crucial to their investigation despite a reminder being sent to them.

Mr Odumosu, who claimed the police failed to acknowledge the Aloba family’s legal team letters, also noted that no one has been charged in court regarding the alleged embalmment carried out by Mohbad’s PA.

Furthermore, he urged the Police Service Commission (PSC) to investigate the officers who initially had the opportunity to uncover the cause and circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death but failed to take appropriate action.

Mohbad’s mum makes U-turn

Meanwhile, the late singer’s mother, Abosede Olumiyi, has called for a resolution through family settlement.

In a viral video obtained by this newspaper, Mrs Olumiyi, who appealed for the coroner’s inquest hearing on Wednesday, expressed dissatisfaction with the current actions involving her late son.

She stated that whatever her ex-husband, Mr Aloba, says regarding the ongoing investigation and other matters concerning their late son remains final.

Since the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death began, Mrs Olumiyi has been at odds with her ex-husband.

In February, she alleged that Mr Aloba was not Mohbad’s biological father and demanded a DNA test to confirm his paternity. Mr Aloba, however, denied the allegation, insisting he is indeed the late singer’s father.

In addition to the paternity dispute, she also alleged that Mr Aloba was delaying Mohbad’s reburial and exploiting the singer’s death for financial gain.

Mrs Olumiyi said: “I don’t want anybody to do anything, and what his (Mohbad’s) father says should be the final decision. I don’t want anybody to do anything. I want them to go to church and mosque to pray for him (Mohbad).

“This is because everything people are doing does not make sense. They did not make us (the family) happy. The mother and the father are not happy. We beg them (the government) in the name of God to let us be and allow our family to settle this case.”

Mohbad’s mother’s support for her ex-husband followed a recent fallout with her daughter-in-law, Wunmi.

In a viral audio, she claimed that Wunmi removed Mohbad’s belongings from his house without notifying her or Mohbad’s younger brother.

Mohbad’s mother revealed that Wunmi repaid her with deceit and disrespect despite supporting her in difficult times.

She further accused Wunmi of betraying her trust, expressing disappointment in the lack of empathy and transparency she had expected from someone closely connected to her family.

Background

Mohbad died on 12 September 2023 and was first buried in Ikorodu, Lagos State, the following day.

Since his death, which clocks in a year today, his family, especially his father, hasn’t given up on the call for justice in ensuring justice is served; he has granted interviews in mainstream media and social media platforms.

Amidst the conflicting reports over the cause of the singer’s death, the court granted his family permission to conduct a second autopsy.

The decision comes after the family expressed dissatisfaction with the initial autopsy results, which were deemed inconclusive.

The autopsy, which commenced in September 2023, released on 7 June, failed to determine the cause of death.

The inconclusiveness of the autopsy results was attributed to body decomposition and potential reactions to medications he received before his death.