A Lagos High Court has dismissed an application by Joseph Aloba, the father of the late musician Mohbad, to nullify the legal advice that led to the release of Naira Marley, Sam Larry, and others from allegations surrounding his son’s death. Justice Taiwo Olatokun ruled that the powers exercised by the Attorney General of Lagos State through the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) were valid and could not be challenged.
Aloba, through his counsel Wahab Shittu, argued that the DPP’s legal advice pre-empted the ongoing Coroner’s Inquest and denied the family a fair hearing, expressing his dissatisfaction and vowing to appeal the decision. Aloba had told the court that the legal advice freeing suspects, including Naira Marley and Sam Larry, undermined the Coroner’s inquest into the cause of Mohbad’s death.
In response, the DPP, through Ayinde Ibrahim, stated that the suspects were not acquitted but merely discharged due to a lack of evidence, emphasizing that there was no direct or remote link between Naira Marley, Sam Larry, or others and Mohbad’s death. The DPP’s office also pointed out that they had access to the full criminal case file, which guided their legal advice, urging the court to dismiss the application.
The atmosphere in court was tense as supporters of Mohbad, including his father, left disappointed. The case remains sensitive, with the public continuing to demand justice for the late singer, who died in September 2023 under controversial circumstances.
