The quest for justice in the death of Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, has taken a new legal turn as the Lagos High Court in Ikeja sets July 2, 2025, as the date to rule on a motion filed by his father, Mr. Joseph Aloba. The application challenges the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) which cleared music executive Naira Marley and socialite Sam Larry of alleged involvement in the singer’s untimely death.
Presiding over the case is Justice Taiwo Olatokun, who fixed the ruling date after listening to arguments from both sides. Representing Mr. Aloba is respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wahab Shittu, while the Attorney General of Lagos State and the DPP, listed as respondents, are being represented by Joke Amachree.
Mr. Aloba is bringing the case on behalf of the Aloba family, seeking to set aside the DPP’s legal advice and the subsequent court proceedings that discharged Naira Marley and Sam Larry. His legal team claims the advice was premature, particularly as the Coroner’s Inquest into Mohbad’s death is still ongoing.
Shittu, on behalf of the Aloba family, argued that the suspects were freed without a fair hearing and that the DPP’s decision “pre-empted the proceedings of the Coroner’s inquest which is yet to conclude its inquiry and sitting into the cause of death of the late Mohbad.” He stressed that individuals “mentioned and implicated in the Coroner’s proceeding” were released despite the inquest being incomplete.
However, in a counter affidavit filed on June 24, legal assistant Ayinde Ibrahim from the DPP’s office refuted the claims, stating that the DPP acted based on findings from the police investigation. He emphasized that “the suspects who were released by the Legal Advice, were not acquitted but were only discharged.”
Ibrahim, who swore to the affidavit based on information received from Mr. Akinde Oluwaseun, a Chief State Counsel at the Directorate of Public Prosecution, added that:
“The Respondents admit paragraphs 8 of the Affidavit-in-support of the Motion, only to the extent that its Officers participated at the hearing of the Inquest into the death of the late Oladimeji Aloba and also to the extent that upon conclusion of investigation by the Police Investigators into the death of the Deceased, the Investigators forwarded a duplicate case file to the Office of the 2nd Respondent (DPP) for the purpose of review and issuance of a Legal Advice.”
Furthermore, the DPP’s office countered the claim that the suspects had been implicated in the inquest, saying:
“Contrary to the deposition in Paragraph 4 and generally in the Applicant’s affidavits, the suspects who were released by the 2nd Respondent’s Legal Advice, were not acquitted but were only discharged.”
“The Respondents denies the deposition in paragraph 7 of the Applicant’s Affidavit in support, as the Presiding Coroner is yet to pronounce a verdict which implicates the released suspects.”
They urged the court to dismiss Mr. Aloba’s application, maintaining that the decision to discharge the suspects was backed by thorough review of police findings, and that “no fact disclosed… linked Naira Marley, Sam Larry Prima Boy and Opere Babatunde directly or remotely to the death Mohbad.”
As anticipation builds among Mohbad’s fans and supporters, all eyes now turn to July 2 when the court will determine whether the case against Naira Marley and Sam Larry will be reopened or remain closed.
