Tag: Mohbad

Ilerioluwa Aloba, the family of the late singer, who was also known as Mohbad, has conducted a fresh autopsy seeking to determine the cause of his death.

PUNCH Metro reported that the Magistrate of the Coroner Court sitting in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, T.A. Shotobi, on June 26, granted an order to the father of the deceased, Mr. Joseph Aloba, to engage a licensed and certified pathologist for a completely independent autopsy on the late singer.

The court also ordered that the applicant, Aloba, should bear all costs associated with the examination, evaluation, and autopsy.

A member of the family’s legal team, Monisola Odumosu, in a statement on Tuesday, said the autopsy was conducted on Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20.
Odumosu noted that the family would proceed to carry out toxicology and histology tests on the necessary samples already obtained if the post-mortem procedure failed to reveal the cause of death.

“The second autopsy as requested by the Aloba family and ordered by the Magistrate of the Coroner Court, Ms. T.A. Shotobi, was conducted on Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20, 2024. This autopsy is a two-part exercise, with the first part now completed.

“If the cause of death cannot be determined from this initial examination, the second part will proceed, involving a toxicology and histology test on the necessary samples already obtained,” the statement read in part.

The legal team further disclosed that the procedure was witnessed by Mohbad’s father and two separate pathologists appointed by him and Mohbad’s wife, Wunmi.

“This comprehensive procedure, conducted last Friday, was witnessed only by Mr. Joseph Aloba, the forensic pathologist appointed by Mr. Joseph Aloba and his team, legal representatives of both Mr. Joseph Aloba and  a pathologist appointed by Wunmi Aloba to observe the procedure,” the statement added.

Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.

Being a former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022. The Lagos State Police Command had on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death.

His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, amongst others.

The singer’s body was on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.

However, a pathologist, while testifying before the Coroner’s Court on May 15, revealed that an autopsy couldn’t determine Mohbad’s cause of death due to the decomposition of his body.

Following the disclosure, PUNCH Metro exclusively reported that the US-based lab refuted the claim by the Lagos State Government that the toxicology test was conducted at its facility.

The revelation was in response to inquiries made by our correspondent, who embarked on a fact-finding mission to ascertain the musician’s cause of death.

Responding to PUNCH Metro’s inquiry on May 17, the Client Services Associate, Forensics Division, NMS Labs, Esther Dede, stated, “Unfortunately, we do not have a case for that patient.”

The search for justice for the late Nigerian musician Ilerioluwa Aloba, known as Mohbad, may not conclude yet, as his family has rejected the pathologist’s declaration that the toxicology test results were inconclusive.

Therefore, the family has demanded that a re-examination be conducted with the utmost transparency and adherence to the highest standards of forensic science.

Besides, late Mohbad’s family has accused the police of not carrying out a thorough investigation into his death and, therefore, called on the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to personally intervene in the investigation and bring those who have hands in his death to book.

In a virtual press conference anchored by its lawyers, Wahab Shittu and Taiwo Odumosu, the family explained that its position followed a report on the denial of a United States laboratory to have conducted a poison test on the late musician, as against the Lagos State Government’s claims that the test was conducted there.

The lawyers said, “We, the legal representatives of the Aloba family, express our profound dissatisfaction and disappointment with the recent announcement regarding the toxicology test results of the late Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, which have been declared ‘inconclusive’ by the pathologist.

“This outcome is entirely unacceptable to us and the Aloba family and raises serious concerns about the integrity and thoroughness of the investigation by the police and the medical team into the untimely death of their beloved son, brother, and friend. The Aloba family and, indeed, the whole world demand to know where the toxicology test was carried out, as this has impugned its integrity.

“The legal team wonders how the letterhead and the address of the National Medical Services Laboratories in Pennsylvania, USA, appeared on the toxicology test report if the test was not truly carried out in the USA.

“The legal team is puzzled more, given the discrepancies in the further response given by the NMS laboratories ascribing the test to another sister laboratory. The conflict of interest bothers professional integrity. The public is interested in knowing the relationship between the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Laboratory, NMS in the USA, and ITSI Biosciences, which allegedly completed the toxicology test on behalf of the Lagos State government.

“The family’s hope that the toxicology test reportedly conducted in the United States would shed light on the circumstances surrounding his tragic passing, has been dashed.”

They further stated that the declaration of the test as ‘inconclusive’ failed to provide the clarity needed and undermined the public as well as late Mohbad family’s faith in the investigative process.

In light of these developments, they hinted that the Aloba family was “compelled to denounce the ‘inconclusive’ toxicology test results and demand that re-examination be conducted with the utmost transparency and adherence to the highest standards of forensic science.”

Other demands by the family, as highlighted by the lawyers, were “a thorough review of the procedures and protocols followed during the initial toxicology testing, which should include an assessment of the chain of custody, handling, and analysis of the samples to ensure that no procedural lapses or contamination occurred.

“We urge the involvement of independent international forensic experts to oversee and validate the re-examination process. Their participation will help restore confidence in the findings and ensure that all possible avenues are explored.

“The Aloba family demands full disclosure of all findings and reports related to the toxicology tests. Transparency is crucial to understanding the cause of death and dispelling any doubts or suspicions.

“Time is of the essence in this matter. We call upon the relevant authorities to expedite the re-examination process and ensure that the family receives definitive answers without undue delay,”they said.

Continuing, the lawyers said, “The Nigeria Police has not done enough in this case. The investigation so far conducted does not show the thoroughness and professionalism expected in a murder case of this nature. We call on the Inspector General of Police to personally intervene in this investigation and bring the perpetrators to book.

“The Aloba family remains steadfast in its pursuit of truth and justice for Ilerioluwa. They deserve clear, definitive answers regarding the cause of his death, and it is the responsibility of the investigative bodies to provide them with such clarity. The current ‘inconclusive’ results only serve to prolong their agony and uncertainty, which is both unfair and unjust.

“Considering the Coroner Inquest, we appeal to the presiding magistrate to ensure that an independent toxicology report is submitted to the Coroner’s Court before submitting the final report to the authorities.”

Recall that late Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, in Lagos, at the age of 27.