MOHBAD: NAIRA MARLEY TESTIFIES AS CORONER SUMMONS SAM LARRY
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Music artiste, Naira Marley on Friday testified before a Magistrate Court in Ikorodu during the Coroner’s inquest into the death of Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
Appearing virtually, Naira Marley told Magistrate Adedayo Shotobi that Mohbad was signed to his record label, Marlian Records, under a contract to produce four albums.
However, he stated that the albums were never completed due to ongoing disputes between Mohbad and his manager, Opere Babatunde.
Naira Marley also denied ever threatening or molesting the late singer, referencing a police report that cleared him of such allegations.
He insisted that claims of him molesting Mohbad were fabricated and existed only in people’s imaginations.
When asked about the viral video, made by the late Mohbad where he stated that Naira Marley and the entire Marlian crew should be held responsible if anything happens to him, the witness testified that Mohbad and his parents subsequently apologised for that video which was made while the artiste was under the influence of drugs.
Marley insisted that there were no disputes or disagreements between him and the late Mohbad. He also denied having a hand in Mohbad’s death claiming that the last time he saw the artiste was a year before his passing and that he was not even in the country at the time Mohbad died.
A second witness, the lawyer to the late Mohbad, Oluwasanmi Falade, faulted Naira Marley for saying there was no dispute between him and the late Mohbad. The lawyer confirmed to the coroner that there was indeed a dispute between Marlian Records and his client over the payment of royalties.
The lawyer said at Mohbad’s insistence, he wrote several times to Marlian Records over the issue but never got any response. He, however, said the issue has since become a subject of litigation before the Federal High Court.
Falade also testified that the late Mohbad was attacked at Lekki Beach by music promoter, Sam Larry and following his advice, the late singer had reported the incident at the Force Headquarters which had unsuccessfully tried to arrest Sam Larry twice.
After listening to the testimonies, Magistrate Shotobi summoned Sam Larry to testify before the Coroners court at the next adjourned date.
The Coroner also directed parties in the inquest to confirm the address of late Mohbad’s driver so witness summons can also be sent to him to appear before the coroner to testify.
The coroner further directed the pathologist who conducted an independent autopsy on the late Mohbad to forward a copy of his findings to the coroners court and same should also be forwarded to the Chief Coroner, before the next adjourned date.
The Coroner adjourned to April 11 to take the testimony of Sam Larry.
Outside the court, counsel to Mohbad’s family, Wahab Shittu (SAN) told journalists that what the testimonies have indicated so far is that there is no clear evidence yet to show whether Naira Marley had a hand directly or indirectly in the death of Mohbad.
The lawyer remains confident that the inquest will show the sequence of events and the circumstances surrounding the death of the late Mohbad. He also said it was necessary to look more closely at all the people who were around the late Mohbad in the hours leading to his death.
Shittu said he has also applied to the Coroner to invite the doctors at the two hospitals the late Mohbad was rushed to, on the day he died so they could testify as to the state of the artiste when they saw him, and witness summons are likely to be issued to them to appear before the coroner when the time comes.
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