Journalists were Friday barred from covering the preliminary sitting of the Coroner inquiring into the cause of death of 27 year old musician IleriOluwa Oladimeji Aloba, a.k.a Mohbad.
The preliminary sitting of the Coroner court held at the Candido-Johnson courthouse, Ita-Elewa, Ikorodu.
Court officials told journalists that they had the instruction of the Coroner, Magistrate Adetayo Shotobi, to stop journalists from covering the proceedings.
It was gathered that the decision was ordered by the Chief Registrar, Tajideed Elias. It was also gathered that this move was taken as a crowd control measure.
After the hearing, the deceased’s family counsel, Funmi Falana, told journalists that the magistrate, Shotobi, discussed the modalities of the inquest with all counsel, including the format that witnesses will take to testify.
She added that the legal team will present their witnesses at the next hearing fixed for October 13.
“The essence of the coroner is to inquire as to the cause of death. It is an inquisitorial sitting. What we had today was to decide on the modalities as to how and when and regarding the witnesses that will testify.”
Other interested parties that attended the sitting include the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and a record label, TNKAY MUSIC.
The inquest is in pursuant to the extant provisions of sections 14&15 of the coroner’s system law of Lagos State, cap C15, laws of Lagos State 2015.
This is in response to a letter written by the chambers of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana (SAN) to the office of the Chief Coroner over the controversial death which was said to have occurred in the Ikorodu area of the state.
Mohbad died on Tuesday, September 12 in a manner that led to great outcry and several protests, amidst calls by many for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Before his death, he had made a series of accusations of being bullied and harassed by his former manager, Naira Marley, who owns the record label Marlian Music.
He was buried the next day.
A few days later, Police authorities exhumed the singer’s body from his graveside in Ikorodu.
While an autopsy has since been carried out, the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command Benjamin Hundeyin said the result is being awaited.