The Coroner, Magistrate Adedayo Shotobi, presiding over the inquest into the death of late singer Mohbad, has announced that the date for delivering the final decision will be communicated to all parties involved.
This development came on Friday during a session at the Magistrates’ Court in Ikorodu, Lagos, where the last witness, forensic pathologist Dr. Uwom Eze, testified. Dr. Eze conducted the second autopsy and a medical review on Mohbad’s remains after public pressure led to an independent examination.
Under cross-examination by Abiodun Kolawole, representing the African Women Lawyers Association, Dr. Eze disclosed that Mohbad was not found to be abusing hard drugs, contrary to widespread allegations. He revealed that the singer had been administered “regulated” doses of antihistamines and painkillers — medications typically used to treat allergies and manage pain — indicating Mohbad was experiencing significant discomfort before his death.
However, Dr. Eze noted a critical gap: he could not ascertain how the injection that reportedly preceded Mohbad’s death was administered due to a lack of available information. He explained that during the autopsy, he examined an injury on the back of Mohbad’s right arm for potential deeper penetration that could have led to death, but found the wound to be superficial.
“Even a newborn baby won’t die from that injury. At the time I conducted the autopsy, the injury wasn’t even there, perhaps due to post-mortem changes. I couldn’t tell how the injection was given, because I had already lost (his) fluids,” Eze said.
At an earlier session, Dr. Eze had stated that the cause of death could not be conclusively determined because of the advanced stage of decomposition. Nevertheless, he pointed to the likelihood of a “severe and rapid hypersensitivity reaction” — a strong allergic reaction — caused by a substance administered via injection.
Mohbad, whose real name was Ilerioluwa Aloba, died on September 12, 2023, shortly after sustaining an injury and being treated at his Lekki home. He reportedly developed convulsions after being given an injection by a nurse and died soon after. He was buried the following day.
Dr. Eze also stated, when questioned by the family’s lead counsel Wahab Shittu (SAN), that the treatment given to the late singer by the nurse resembled a case of “medical misadventure.”
As the inquest nears its end, the public and all parties await the coroner’s final decision, which is expected to address the lingering questions surrounding Mohbad’s tragic death.
