Nigeria: Cause of Mohbad's Death Couldn't Be Ascertained - Pathologist

15 May 2024

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wahab Shittu said the pathologist in his submission in court established that the toxicology test carried out on late music star, Ilerioluwa Aloba popularly known as Mohbad revealed that the singer's cause of death cannot be ascertained.

Shittu made this revelation while speaking to newsmen after the Coroner Inquest on Wednesday.

The senior lawyer said, at the time the test was carried out, the body of the singer had already decomposed.

"According to him, the cause of death cannot be determined," Shittu told newsmen outside the court.

"He gave a lot of reasons. He said by the time they conducted the test, the body had decomposed and that it is not possible for them to determine the cause of death.

"So the summary he is saying is that the cause of death cannot be ascertained and when you say the cause of death cannot be ascertained, it means it is suspicious, it is not clear, no particular reason."

The lawyer also said the pathologist also said the cause of the death could be attributed to reaction to certain drugs administered on him before he died.

"He also went further to say that it may be attributed to reaction to certain drugs administered on him before he died. Again he then qualified that to say he does not know whether it is those drugs that actually led to his death," he added.

Recall that on March 20, the Director of Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, Richard Somiari, said that the toxicology result of Mohbad would be ready in the next three to four weeks.

Somiari, while testifying during a coroner's inquest into the death of the singer said, "We expected to get the first set of autopsy results in three to four weeks and re-confirm to authenticate the cause of the death.

"We searched for multiple possibilities, to check if poison was involved in the death of Mohbad since no actual cause was mentioned," he said.

The forensic expert assured the public of adequate security and monitoring of samples for the autopsy.

"We have a place where items are stored for safety and security of results. There is a procedure for monitoring samples moved abroad," he said.

Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.

A former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022.

The Lagos State Police Command had, on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer's death.

His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, among others.

The singer's body was on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy.

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