COURTROOM NEWS 18/04/2024
DNA: Court to Serve Mohbad’s Wife via Substituted Means
The Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ikorodu has granted the order that Wunmi, the wife of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba aka Mohbad, be served notice of the pending DNA test application by substituted means.
This was contained in a statement signed by a member of the legal team to the Aloba family, Monisola Odumosu.
In the application filed by the legal team to Joseph Aloba, father to the late singer, the family sought an order to serve Wunmi by posting all the originating processes and other processes in the suit on the last-known address of the respondent.
According to the statement, the legal team led by Emmanuel Oroko had argued that the sheriff had attempted twice to serve Wunmi the court process but failed.
Odumosu stated that “If the process were served on the last-known address of the respondent by Order of the Court, it would constitute good service and she would be aware of the pending suit. The Chief Magistrate granted the order and ordered that the respondent be served by posting the court process on her last known address.
“It will be recalled that the Aloba family is contesting the paternity of baby Liam and filed an application before the Family Court wherein it sought an order of the court against Wunmi to present herself and baby Liam for a DNA test at any recognised laboratory in Lagos.”
The statement added that the singer’s wife, in a viral video, said she was ready for a DNA test, noting that she had never been available for the court sheriff to serve her the originating motion.
Odumosu however disclosed that the matter had been adjourned till next month for the report of service.
When contacted, Wunmi’s lawyer, Taiwo Olawanle, denied knowledge of the court order.
He said, “We don’t have the court order. If we have an order, we will advise her to adhere to it. That is not a problem. But we are not aware of any order. I am just hearing that from you.”
Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.
Being a former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022. The Lagos State Police Command had on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death.
His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, amongst others.
The singer’s body was on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.