The Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has dismissed a legal bid by Mr. Joseph Aloba, father of late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, to nullify the legal advice issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), which cleared music executive Naira Marley, socialite Sam Larry, and others of alleged involvement in the singer’s death.
Presiding judge, Justice Taiwo Olatokun, ruled on Monday, July 1, 2025, that the powers of the Attorney General—exercised through the DPP—were validly and constitutionally applied, and therefore could not be challenged or overturned by the court.
In the judgment, the court upheld that the DPP acted within the scope of the law in deciding not to prosecute the named individuals, stating that such prosecutorial discretion is protected under Nigerian law.
The application brought by Mr. Aloba was dismissed, with the court declining all reliefs sought. Aloba, who was present in court with supporters, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling.
While legal representatives from the DPP’s office declined public comment, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Wahab Shittu, counsel to Mr. Aloba, revealed that they intend to appeal the ruling.
Background to the Legal Dispute
Mr. Aloba had filed the suit on behalf of the Aloba family, listing the Lagos State Attorney General and the DPP as respondents. He argued that the DPP’s legal advice, which exonerated Naira Marley and others, was premature and undermined the ongoing Coroner’s Inquest into Mohbad’s death.
The applicant also claimed that there was a denial of fair hearing and that the DPP’s action contradicted testimonies and findings already presented at the Coroner’s panel.
In a counter-affidavit submitted on June 24, legal assistant Ayinde Ibrahim, from the DPP’s office, clarified that the suspects were only discharged—not acquitted—and that the legal advice was based solely on the criminal case file, which included evidence not available to either the Coroner or the applicant.
The DPP maintained that no direct or circumstantial evidence linked the accused individuals—Naira Marley, Sam Larry, Prima Boy, and Opere Babatunde—to Mohbad’s death. This, they argued, was the reason for the decision to discharge them.
The case continues to stir public emotion as calls for justice for the late artist remain loud across social media and entertainment circles.
