A Lagos Magistrate Court sitting in Sabo, Yaba, cleared Nigerian singer, Abdulazeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, alongside music promoter Samson Balogun Eletu, aka Sam Larry, and Owodunni Ibrahim, alias Primeboy, of involvement in Mohbad’s death, stating that the trio had no case to answer in connection with Mohbad’s demise.
This verdict was delivered by Magistrate Ejiro Kubenje on February 25, following the legal advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) Lagos.
The magistrate said the DPP had advised the court to strike out the names of Naira Marley, Sam Larry, Owodunni Ibrahim (alias Primeboy) and Mohbad’s manager, Babatunde Opere for lack of evidence linking them to the death of Mohbad.
She said the court agreed that an unlawful assault was carried out by Naira Marley, Sam Larry, Opere and Primeboy on Mohbad but the assault did not meet the legal threshold for criminal conspiracy or homicide.
Kubeinje added that Mohbad had also previously withdrawn his complaint against Naira Marley, dated October 11, 2022, over assault, on the grounds that the matter had been settled amicably.
According to her, hence, the defendants have no case to answer in view of the demise of the deceased.
The DPP has, however, declared that Feyisayo Ogedengbe, the auxiliary nurse who administered a series of injection on MohBad will be prosecuted alongside one of MohBad’s friends, Ayobami Sadiq, for the offense of reckless and negligent acts contrary to Section 251 (e) of the Criminal Law, Ch C.17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
“Sadiq procured the services of Ogedengbe to treat the deceased knowing full well that she is not a trained medical practitioner but merely an auxiliary nurse. Ogedengbe not being a trained nurse, also without any idea of the deceased’s medical history and without conducting any medical tests, administered medical treatment on the deceased. The deceased immediately convulsed and died. Both are caught by the provisions of Section 209’above and therefore culpable for Involuntary Manslaughter,” the document containing the legal advice signed by Babajide Martins declared.
The magistrate adjourned the case until March 24, for an update in view of the ruling.
The late Mohbad was signed to Marlian Records owned, by Naira Marley, between 2020 and 2022 as he started his music career.
MohBad died on Tuesday, September 12, at the age of 27.
By Ezinne Okorie.
