The Ogun State Police Command has arraigned the driver of the Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle involved in the fatal road crash that claimed the lives of two close associates of former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua.
The driver, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, was brought before a Sagamu Magistrate Court, but the case was adjourned to allow further proceedings.
Confirming the development, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the arraignment followed preliminary investigations into the accident, which occurred along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near Danco.
“The case has been adjourned to enable further legal processes,” Babaseyi said in a statement issued in Abeokuta.
The fatal crash claimed the lives of Kevin Latif Ayodele, 36, a British-Nigerian citizen, and Sina Ghami, 36, a British citizen. Both men
were described as colleagues and members of Joshua’s training and support team.
Kayode, a long-time member of Joshua’s Nigerian logistics team, reportedly sustained minor injuries and was initially treated at a hospital in Lagos. He was discharged late on New Year’s Eve before being taken to the Ogun State Police Headquarters for questioning.
Police sources had earlier alleged that the driver was travelling above the 65mph speed limit when a tyre burst during an overtaking manoeuvre, causing him to lose control of the vehicle.
The Lexus SUV, with registration number KRD 850 HN, reportedly rammed into an illegally parked truck loaded with soya beans on the hard shoulder of the expressway. The impact tore off the nearside of the vehicle, killing Ghami and Ayodele instantly.
Joshua, who was seated behind the driver, escaped with minor injuries, a development first responders described as a “miracle.”
“The driver was released after treatment for minor injuries and was able to provide his version of events that led up to the crash,” a police source had earlier told the Daily Mail, adding that charges were expected within 48 hours, subject to delays caused by the bank holiday.
True to that indication, Kayode appeared in court on Friday, though details of the specific charges were not immediately made public.
Meanwhile, the Lagos and Ogun state governments have confirmed Joshua’s discharge from Lagoon Hospital, Ikoyi, after doctors declared him clinically fit to continue his recovery from home.
In a joint statement signed by Mr Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, and Mr Gbenga Omotosho, Lagos State Commissioner for Information, the governments disclosed that Joshua and his mother had visited a Lagos funeral home to pay their final respects to the deceased.
The statement added that the bodies of Ayodele and Ghami were flown out of Lagos aboard a Turkish Airlines cargo flight, transiting through Istanbul before proceeding to London for burial arrangements.
Governors Dapo Abiodun and Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed appreciation to Nigerians for the outpouring of sympathy and prayers, while also thanking President Bola Tinubu for what they described as his “fatherly support” during the period.
They further commended medical personnel at Lagoon Hospital for their professionalism and dedication, and extended condolences to the families of the deceased, describing the incident as “painful and deeply unfortunate.”
Investigations into the crash are ongoing, with police also launching a manhunt for the driver of the truck involved, who reportedly fled the scene.
The next court sitting is expected to provide clarity on the charges against Kayode and the outcome of the police investigation into the tragic accident.
