The Lagos High Court in Ikeja has set July 2, 2025, for judgment in a suit filed by Mr. Joseph Aloba, father of the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, challenging the legal advice that cleared music personalities Naira Marley and Sam Larry of alleged involvement in his son’s death.
Justice Taiwo Olatokun fixed the date after hearing arguments from counsel for both parties. Mr. Aloba, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Wahab Shittu, is suing on behalf of the Aloba family. The respondents are the Attorney General of Lagos State and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).Travel packages
Shittu argued that the DPP’s legal advice pre-empted the ongoing coroner’s inquest into Mohbad’s death and alleged that it deprived the applicant of a fair hearing. He contended that some suspects mentioned during the coroner’s proceedings had already been released based on the DPP’s advice, despite the inquest not yet reaching a conclusion.
In response, a counter-affidavit filed by Ayinde Ibrahim, a legal assistant in the DPP’s office, stated that those released were not acquitted but merely discharged. Ibrahim explained that “the suspects who were released by the 2nd Respondent’s Legal Advice, were not acquitted but were only discharged.”
The affidavit further asserted that the DPP acted within its statutory mandate following the submission of a police investigation file, and that neither the Coroner nor the applicant had access to the full contents of this case file.
“The 2nd Respondent was not instructed to halt its mandatory statutory review of the casefile nor ordered by the 1st Respondent, or the Presiding Coroner or the Chief Coroner for Lagos State to inform the Honourable Presiding Coroner whenever it was ready to issue the Legal Advice,” the statement read.
The DPP maintained that there was no credible evidence linking Naira Marley, Sam Larry, or others named in the application such as Prima Boy and Opere Babatunde to the death of Mohbad.
“Upon a total legal review of the case file by the 2nd Respondent, there was no fact disclosed that linked Mr. Abdulazeez Fashola a.k.a Naira Marley, Mr. Samson Balogun Eletu a.k.a Sam Larry and Owoduni Ibrahim a.k.a Prima Boy and Opere Babatunde directly or remotely to and for the death of the Deceased,” the affidavit noted.
The respondents also argued that Mr. Aloba did not engage independent investigators or present new evidence that would warrant setting aside the legal advice.
“The Applicant in this application have not placed any material facts other than speculative statements and conjectures such that could have faulted the 2nd Respondent’s Legal Advice and it is in the interest of Justice to dismiss this Application against the Respondents,” the document concluded.
The court’s decision on whether to uphold or quash the legal advice and its implications on the ongoing legal discourse surrounding Mohbad’s death will be delivered on July 2.
