The Lagos High Court in Ikeja has scheduled a hearing for June 17, 2025, to consider an application filed by Joseph Aloba, father of the late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad. Mr. Aloba is challenging a legal advice issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), which led to the release of four suspects earlier linked to his son’s controversial death.
The suspects—popular musician Abdulazeez Fashola (known as Naira Marley), Samson Balogun Eletu (Sam Larry), Owoduni Ibrahim (Prime Boy), and Pere Babatunde—were discharged and acquitted by a Yaba Magistrate Court on February 26, 2025, based on the DPP’s advice.
However, Mohbad’s father is contesting the DPP’s decision, arguing that it interfered with the ongoing coroner’s inquest, which began on September 29, 2023, and is yet to conclude. According to Mr. Aloba, the suspects were mentioned and implicated during the inquest and had been summoned to testify but were let off before appearing in court.
Through his legal team, Mr. Aloba is asking the court to review and quash the DPP’s legal advice, describing it as premature and unfair. He claims the move obstructed the work of the coroner’s court and denied him and the public a fair hearing in the search for justice.
“The discharge of suspects before the conclusion of the coroner’s proceedings undermines the credibility of the process,” Aloba stated in his application. He added that the police and state officials were aware of the inquest and should have waited for it to be concluded before acting.
Mohbad, a rising music star, died under unclear circumstances on September 11, 2023. His death triggered massive public outrage, with many Nigerians calling for a thorough investigation. The coroner’s court was set up to probe the cause of death, but its findings are still pending.
The court has now granted Mr. Aloba permission to serve legal documents on the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), as part of the process.
This legal challenge has reignited public interest in the case, especially given the popularity of those involved. Many Nigerians are watching closely to see whether the court will reverse the DPP’s advice and reopen the case against the suspects.
As the hearing date draws closer, the focus remains on whether this legal battle will bring the clarity and justice Mohbad’s family and fans have long demanded.
