Mohbad’s Father Grilled by Police Over Defamation Petition

Joseph Aloba, the father of the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, was questioned by officers from the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State. The interrogation came following a petition filed by Oba Saheed Elegushi, alleging cyberbullying, cyberstalking, and criminal defamation.

In a statement released by Monisola Odumosu, the head of Aloba’s legal team, it was revealed that the petition was based on an interview conducted recently. During the interview with a London-based blogger, Aloba allegedly made defamatory statements, implicating Oba Elegushi in the bullying and death of his son.

Aloba’s legal team clarified that their client did not intend to defame or engage in cyberbullying or cyberstalking towards Oba Elegushi. They explained that Aloba was seeking justice for his late son and did not have concrete evidence to support his allegations against the monarch, except for the petition written by his son and phone conversations they had.

During the meeting, Oba Elegushi requested a retraction of the defamatory statements made by Aloba on social media. It is important to note that Aloba was not arrested or detained during the proceedings. The legal team emphasized that Aloba is still grieving the loss of his son and that his statements should be understood in the context of his emotional state.

Mohbad, who was 27 years old, passed away on September 12, 2023, under circumstances that sparked controversies on social media. As a former signee of Marlian Music, owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022. The Lagos State Police Command established a special investigation team to probe the singer’s death on September 18, 2023.

The arrest of Naira Marley and Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, followed Mohbad’s death. On September 21, 2023, Mohbad’s body was exhumed for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. However, a pathologist revealed during a court hearing on May 15 that due to the decomposition of the body, the autopsy could not determine the cause of death.

revealed that the US-based lab, NMS Labs, denied conducting the toxicology test on Mohbad’s body, contradicting earlier statements by the Lagos State Government. The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, had previously stated that the toxicology test was being conducted at NMS Labs in Pennsylvania, USA. However, the lab’s Client Services Associate stated that they had no record of the case.