Mohbad: Court frees Naira Marley, Sam Larry

Popular Nigerian music sensation Abdulazeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley has been freed in connection to the death of Aloba IleriOluwas otherwise known as Mohbad.

The President judge, Magistrate Ejiro Kubenje said Naira Marley had no case to answer.

The Magistrate’s decision followed legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), which suggested that Mohbad had no case to answer.

Another major actor freed by the court is popular music promoter Sam Larry, Mohbad’s friend, Primeboy, and Mohbad’s former Manager, Opere Babatunde.

However, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, the auxiliary nurse who treated Mohbad, would still face prosecution, according to the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

The DPP maintained that one Ayobami Sadiq, one of Mohbad’s friends, would be prosecuted on the allegations of reckless and negligent acts.

According to DPP, the offenses contradict Section 251 (e) of the Criminal Law, Ch C.17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The death of Mohbad has left a void in the Nigerian music industry. His journey, particularly his time at Marlian Music, and the controversies surrounding his death, have become a focal point for discussions.

Allegations of harassment, bullying, and mistreatment surfaced in the wake of his death, with many pointing fingers at his former associates, Naira Marley and Sam Larry the prime targets. Fans and fellow artists took to social media to demand justice, calling for a thorough investigation into the events leading up to his demise. The hashtag #JusticeForMohbad trended for weeks, with protests held in Lagos and some other states, reflecting the public’s demand for accountability and transparency.

These agitations prompted the intervention of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who then invited the Department of State Services (DSS) to probe the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death.

The police also had to exhume Mohbad’s body during their investigations and then the preliminary investigations into Oladimeji’s death began on Friday, September 29, 2023, at the Magistrate Court 3 of the Candide-Johnson Courthouse in Ikorodu, according to a directive from the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, Justice Mojisola Dada.

Meanwhile, the toxicology test conducted on Mohbad could not determine the cause of his death.