Joseph Aloba, the father of the late Afrobeat singer, Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba well known as Mohbad, says he is not satisfied with the police investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding his son’s untimely death.
Joseph said this in an exclusive interview with Trust TV on Wednesday, appealing to the government to intensify effort on the probe so justice could be served.
Mohbad died on September 12, 2023 and was buried the next day. The owner of his former record label, Marlian Records, Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley, and several others, including Sam Larry, were called out for having a hand in his death.
But the Marlian Records boss in a statement shared on his Instagram handle absolved himself of any wrongdoing. Sam Larry also denied any complicity.
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Both were arrested, arraigned and later released on bail, while a nurse who gave Mohbad’s injections was identified as a prime suspect.
Following the outcry which trailed his death, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, ordered a forensic investigation to unravel the cause of the death.
Based on the IGP’s directive, the Lagos State Police Command set up a 10-man team, including a pathologist to exhume his corpse and investigate Mohbad’s death.
In November 2023, the Lagos Coroner Court sitting at Ita-Elewa, Ikorodu, said the most crucial aspect of an autopsy to determine the cause of the late singer’s was being conducted in the United States.
The state counsel, O. Akinde, told the Coroner Magistrate, Adetayo Shotobi, that the autopsy into the external body of the deceased had been completed.
“The toxicology test, which has to do with the internal body, is being done in the US,” he added.
There have been several calls for the release of the autopsy report since the investigation began.
Speaking to Trust TV on Wednesday, Mohbad’s father expressed dissatisfaction over the police investigation.
“I am not satisfied with police investigation. A lot of things have been said outside which are not really right. When I carried Mohbad’s body to the police station, my expectation is that they would follow me to search his house or give me the police (autopsy) report which they have not given me. Those are the areas I am not satisfied with,” he said.
The father stated that he wanted the investigation to be to be thorough, urging the police to invite people who were living with Mohbad.
“They should ask them questions. Through searching their phones, they would know what killed Mohbad. A lot of people were living with him. So I am not really satisfied with the investigation.
“We are still looking for justice….Delay can result in denial. I am begging the government to put more effort so that things can go on fine as people expect,” he added.
In late November, the police spokesman in Lagos, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the autopsy report expected from the US had not been made available to the Force.
An attempt to get an update on the investigation from Hundeyin on Wednesday was unsuccessful as he did not pick up our correspondent’s calls. He had also yet to reply to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.
