The Coroner’s Court sitting in Ikorodu, Lagos, has recommended the criminal prosecution of an auxiliary nurse, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, over the death of singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
The inquest which was set up by the state government to unravel the circumstances that led to the death of the singer began on September 29, 2023. A total of 19 witnesses gave their testimonies.
Delivering her ruling on Friday, Magistrate Adedayo Shotobi said the nurse acted with gross negligence by administering an injection on the singer without a doctor’s prescription.
Although the court ruled out foul play or homicide in the case, it held that the actions of the nurse were both “unlawful and professionally negligent.
She said, “Based on the totality of the evidence, I am able to certify the cause of death. However, the preponderance of evidence supports that the death was sudden, occurring within minutes or hours after the administration of injection drugs by an unlicensed authority or auxiliary means. There was no natural death in the fight to explain the death. There was no evidence of homicide or deliberate foul play, but medical evidence. Irregular burial without a proper investigation, medical certificate, or police report is significant to the court of justice.”
“In pursuance of section 29 of the coroner laws of Lagos State, this court recommends that the prosecution of the unlicensed medical personnel by the office of the Director of Public Prosecution should commence appropriate prosecution against Felicia Ogedengbe for unlawful medical practice and gross negligence.”
The coroner also concluded that Mohbad experienced a series of turbulent moments before his death, having been let down by his support system, including his family, public institutions, and the music industry.
The coroner raised alarm over systemic lapses in the regulation of the health sector, stating that these shortcomings have permitted unlicensed and unqualified individuals to function as healthcare practitioners without adequate scrutiny or accountability.
In a separate directive, the coroner ordered a formal investigation into the inaction of the Nigeria Police regarding a petition filed by the late singer before his death. The court also tasked the relevant authorities with determining whether the failure to respond amounted to official negligence.
“Given the overwhelming testimony of persistent harassment, not only from security and the Nigerian Police Force, the Human Rights Commission should investigate all viral reports of intimidation or assault,” the magistrate added.
On the burial carried out by the deceased’s father, Joseph Aloba, the magistrate acknowledged the cultural factors that prompted his decision in conducting the “hasty” and “undignified” burial.
It however added that he should still have done the necessary legal and medical procedures including getting a death certificate and autopsy upon the sudden death of the promising artist.
“The father’s action, while perhaps guided by cultural beliefs, in every burial, reflected an absence of procedural responsibility, especially given the suspicion and natural circumstances. The court found that Mr. Aloba’s conduct was obstructive to forensic investigations, potentially postponing any investigation opportunity.
“The subsequent public allegation and accusation made without sustaining evidence has further tarnished his credibility and motive. In circumstances where death appears unnatural or sudden in a young adult with no terminal illness, the father more invested in truth would have prioritised autopsy and legal process before burial,” she stated.
The coroner observed that Omowunmi, the partner of the deceased, was directly aware of the medical emergency but failed to insist on calling emergency services or ensuring proper ambulance care when Mohbad began vomiting and convulsing. Instead, multiple household members were seen fanning him and attempting to transport him themselves.
The coroner further noted that most crucially, after Mohbad’s death, Omowunmi remained notably silent in challenging the circumstances surrounding his sudden illness. Despite living with him as his wife and being the mother of his child, her outcry concerning harassment, abuse, and threats from the music industry only became forceful after his burial and following public outrage.
The coroner equally raised questions as to why her voice was absent when it mattered most, and why there was no insistence on obtaining a death certificate or pushing for an inquiry before the burial.
“While she may have been overwhelmed, emotionally distressed, or pushed aside by the father, it was incumbent upon her as a wife and the last person to the deceased, to speak, object or at the very least document the procedural irregularities at the point of death and burial. The wife, though regularly and emotionally invested, bears a measure of moral and consequential responsibility for the silence surrounding the death and hasty burial. A more assertive and protective response was expected given her position,” the magistrate added.
Counsel to Mohbad’s family, Wahab Shittu, SAN, expressed satisfaction with the recommendations.
“This is one coroner who has shown that she has got the brain and has the sense of balance and conscience.”