Mr. Joseph Aloba, the father of Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known in music circles as Mohbad, has filed a suit before the Ikeja State High Court seeking to quash a legal advice to free four prime suspects in connection with his son’s death.
The suit, which was filed on his behalf by his lawyer, Dr. Wahab Shittu, dated March 12, 2025, and marked ID/6197MJR/2025, is seeking an order granting him leave to quash the legal advice.
The applicant, Aloba, claimed that the motion ex-parte application lacked a fair hearing under Section 36 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution for three reasons.
The additional grounds include the DPP’s legal advice that has not yet concluded sitting, which preempts the coroner’s inquest processes, and the purported release of key suspects listed and implicated in the coroner’s proceeding.
It also claimed that the State CID Panti forwarded the case containing their investigation to the respondents without notifying the Coroner’s court, and that both offices—especially the respondents who are aware of the Coroner’s inquest—proceeded to issue legal advice, which led the Magistrate Court to discharge and acquit the prime suspects.
The suit argued that the suspects who were discharged and acquitted by the respondents in accordance with their legal advice had been mentioned and implicated in the Coroner’s proceedings, had been summoned, and had not yet appeared and provided testimony regarding their role in Mohbad’s death.
“The discharged and acquitted suspects by the respondents pursuant to their legal advice have been mentioned and implicated in the Coroner’s proceedings and have been summoned and are yet to appear and give evidence as to their role in the de@th of Mohbad.
“The police through one ASP Mohammed Yusuf attached to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti and the respondents through their senior counsel, Mr George, participated in the Coroner’s proceedings.
READ ALSO: Mohbad’s father reacts after auxiliary nurse who injected late singer testified at Coroner’s inquest
“The State CID Panti forwarded the case containing their investigation to the respondents without informing the Coroner’s court and while both offices, particularly the respondents who are aware of the Coroner’s inquest proceeded to issue legal advice which prompted the Magistrate Court to discharge and acquitted the prime suspects.
“That I know as a fact that the act or omission of the respondents is without due regard to the Coroner’s court which constitutes an obstruction of the coroner in the exercise of its statutory duties.
“That I know as a fact that the respondents’ failure to allow the Coroner to conclude its proceeding and proceeded to issue the legal advice is pre-empting the outcome of the decision of the Coroner and is done without jurisdiction and is null and void.
“That I know as a fact that the act or omission of the respondents issuing legal advice in respect of the matter upon which inquest is being conducted amounted to obstructing and interfering with the Coroner’s investigation and potentially influencing the outcome.
“ That I know as a fact that the act or omission of the respondents issuing legal advice which constituted an affront to the executive jurisdiction of the Coroner the power to conduct inquests into suspicious and unnatural death is expected to run its course without external interference.
“That I know as a fact that the act or omission of the respondents, apart from being preemptive of the Coroner’s proceedings, undermines the integrity of the inquest and potentially compromises the outcome of the coroner’s investigation.
“That I know as a fact that the act or omission of the Respondents while aware that the Coroner‘s inquest is still pending is to overreach the outcome of the Coroner’s inquest and is improper,” Aloba said.
”He prayed the court for its intervention to get justice for the de@th of his son.
“The applicant needs the intervention of this court to get justice for the death of his son; otherwise, allowing the legal advice from the respondents to stay may automatically put an end to the seriousness of the Coroner’s Court and its proceedings.
“That the grant of this application will not be prejudicial to the Respondents. That I make this affidavit in good faith, believing the contents to be true and in accordance with the oath laws of Lagos State,” the suit filed by Mr Aloba reads in full.
