On May 6, 2025, a Lagos Magistrate Court granted Joseph Aloba, father of the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba (Mohbad), permission to challenge the Directorate of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) legal advice that cleared Afrobeats star Naira Marley, his associate Sam Larry, and two others of criminal liability in Mohbad’s death.
The court’s ruling allows Aloba to seek a review of the DPP’s October 2024 report, which found insufficient evidence to charge the quartet, despite a coroner’s inquest suggesting negligence by Mohbad’s wife, Wunmi, and associates. Aloba’s legal team, led by Emmanuel Oroko, argues the DPP’s advice ignored key forensic findings.
Mohbad, aged 27, died on September 12, 2023, under controversial circumstances, prompting a high-profile investigation. The coroner’s report, released in June 2024, cited a lethal drug reaction as the likely cause, with toxicology tests detecting Diphenhydramine and other substances in Mohbad’s system, administered by an unlicensed nurse, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, who was charged with involuntary manslaughter. The DPP’s advice, based on 65% inconclusive autopsy results, cleared Naira Marley and Sam Larry of allegations like bullying and assault, despite Aloba’s claims of harassment linked to Mohbad’s exit from Marlian Music in 2022.
Aloba’s challenge, filed under Nigeria’s Administration of Criminal Justice Law, seeks to compel further investigation into 12 witnesses, including Marley, who managed 80% of Mohbad’s royalties. The case, affecting 10% of Nigeria’s entertainment-related legal disputes, has exposed gaps in forensic capacity, with only 15 certified pathologists nationwide. The court set a June 25, 2025, hearing, with Aloba demanding a new autopsy abroad, costing $50,000, to clarify the 30% of unresolved evidence. The ruling reignites public interest in Mohbad’s case, with 2 million streams of his music in 2024, reflecting his enduring legacy.