PH
Naira Marley and Sam Larry have launched a basic rights lawsuit challenging their “continued detention” in police custody in connection with Mohbad’s death.
Mohbad, born Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, died on September 12. He was laid to rest the next day.
The circumstances of his death have continued to spark debate on social media.
Several suspects, including Feyisola Ogedengbe, Marley, Larry, and Primeboy, are being held by police as part of the inquiry into Mohbad’s killing.
The Lagos police requested that Marley and Larry be kept in custody for 30 days pending the completion of their investigation on October 4.
However, in her decision, Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun ordered that the accused be remanded for only 21 days.
However, the remand order expired on October 26.
The continued detention, according to Olalekan Ojo, the applicants’ lawyer, is a violation of their fundamental rights.
The police and Olatunbosun were named as defendants in the lawsuit filed before the federal high court in Lagos.
Marley and Larry are each demanding N20m damages from the defendants.
They are also seeking “an order of the court releasing the applicants forthwith”.
“Their travails started between October 3 and 4, 2023 when they were arrested by the police on the alleged connection of the applicants with the death of one Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad,” the deponents stated in the affidavits attached to their claims.
“On the 4th day of October 2023, the Commissioner of Police sought an order in the Magistrates’ Court, held at Yaba to remand them for 30 days.
“Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun granted the police application to remand them for only 21 days in the custody of the police.
“The 21-day remand order granted by Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun has since lapsed on October 26, 2023, and the order has not been renewed.”
On September 21, the body of the 27-year-old music star was unearthed for autopsy by a joint team of Lagos police and health officials.
The autopsy was performed the same day, and the police stated that they were awaiting the results.
Ogedengbe, the auxiliary nurse who injected Mohbad, was labeled as “the prime suspect” in the singer’s death by authorities.
