Court Dismisses Mohbad’s Father’s Suit Against DPP Over Naira Marley, Sam Larry’s Release

Justice Taiwo Olatokun of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has dismissed a suit filed by Mr. Joseph Aloba, father of the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, which sought to invalidate the legal advice issued by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that cleared music stars Naira Marley, Sam Larry, and others of alleged involvement in Mohbad’s death.

Delivering the ruling on Wednesday, Justice Olatokun held that the Attorney General of Lagos State, through the DPP, has the constitutional authority to decide whether to initiate prosecution, and such powers are not subject to judicial review in the manner Aloba had requested.

“The powers of the Attorney General as conferred by the Constitution are not subject to judicial review in this context. Accordingly, the reliefs sought by the applicant lack merit and are hereby dismissed,” the judge ruled.

Aloba, represented by his counsel Wahab Shittu, had argued that the legal advice—which led to the suspects being released—violated his right to fair hearing and compromised the credibility of the ongoing coroner’s inquest into his son’s death.

However, the court dismissed his claims, affirming that the DPP acted lawfully and based the advice on available evidence.

The court further clarified that the suspects—Naira Marley, Sam Larry, Prime Boy, and Babatunde Opere—were not acquitted but merely discharged due to insufficient evidence connecting them to Mohbad’s death.

In a counter-affidavit filed on June 24, 2025, Ayinde Ibrahim, a legal officer from the DPP’s office, explained that the legal advice followed a comprehensive review of the police case file. He noted that neither the coroner nor Mr. Aloba had full access to the findings that informed the advice.

“The legal advice did not find any direct or circumstantial evidence tying the named suspects to the death of the deceased,” Ibrahim said, adding that the decision to discharge them was in line with due process and grounded in the evidence available.