The Lagos State government yesterday told the coroner investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Afrobeat singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, that the toxicology test of his body was being conducted in the United States of America.

This was disclosed to Magistrate Adetayo Shotobi by a Lagos State counsel, O. Akinde after lawyers to other parties in the inquest demanded to know why the autopsy report was not ready.

In response, Akinde said the most crucial aspect of the autopsy to determine the cause of death of the late music star was being carried out by experts in the US.

“The toxicology test, which has to do with the internal body, is being done in the US,” he said.

The development made the coroner ask why the toxicology was taken abroad when there are toxicology laboratories in Nigeria.

Akinde told the coroner that Lagos State decided to do it in the US because of the nature of various substances alleged to have either been injected or taken by the deceased and the need to prevent controversy over the autopsy report when it is finally presented.

He revealed that it was also because the death of the deceased had become a worldwide issue.

He disclosed that there was no point in inviting Prof. Soyemi, the pathologist in Lagos, to present an uncompleted report.

Earlier, when led by the counsel to the family of the deceased, Taiwo Olawanle from the Falana and Falana Chambers, Adura Aloba told the coroner that he adopted all he stated in a deposition as evidence in the matter.

In his deposition, admitted as evidence by the coroner’s court, the deceased’s younger brother, Adura Aloba, said on June 25, 2023, they went for a show at Elegushi Beach, and Sammy Larry and his gang came to the place and beat up the deceased.

Adura alleged that Sammy Larry threatened that anywhere he saw the deceased, he would kill him and his friends one after the other.

Under cross-examination by the state counsel, Akinde, Adura said the deceased showed no sign nor complaint of illness before and after his performance at Ikorodu. Also, he asserted that he did not witness the fight between the deceased and Prime Boy as he was in the second Prado Jeep.

Mohbad’s Injury Sustained

Adura Aloba revealed that on getting home after the show, they did not apply anything to the injury sustained by Mohbad during his fight with Prime Boy, adding that they wiped the blood on the wound in his elbow.

Adura stated that the nurse who injected the deceased was invited two days after the Ikorodu incident, adding that it was Ajisegiri (Bami) who brought the nurse.

He asserted that Mohbad was still breathing when they left their house but before they got to the first hospital, he was already dead.

Under cross-examination by Fadimu, the witness noted that it was Mohbad who requested the service of a nurse because of the injury he sustained during his fight with Prime Boy.

He insisted that the injury on the deceased elbow was not deep and that there was no damage to his tummy.

Contrary to claims of the father of the deceased, the witness told the court he was not aware of any cloth soaked with blood, insisting that it was only the bed sheet that had spots of blood stains from the injury on Mohbad’s elbow.

He confirmed cooking the Indomie that the deceased ate before he died and that the packs were taken from the stock in the house, adding that he and Wunmi also ate the Indomie.

Though close to his late brother, he disclosed that the deceased does not discuss all issues with him.

While admitting that the father of the deceased sometimes intervened in matters between Mohbad and his wife, he insisted that his late brother and wife were very close.

Counsels at the hearing agreed and requested the Coroner to summon Sultan and the driver that drove Mohbad to Ikoroduon number 10.

Prime Boy is to re-appear before the court on December 6 as his name featured prominently in testimonies before the court.