Court Approves Substituted Service on Mohbad’s Wife for DNA Test

April 18, 2024

The Aloba family is questioning the paternity of baby Liam and is asking Wunmi to present herself along with the baby for a DNA test at a recognized laboratory in Lagos.

A Magistrate Court in Ikorodu, Lagos, has directed the service of notice regarding a pending DNA test application to Wunmi, the spouse of the deceased singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, famously known as Mohbad, through substituted means.

In a statement released by Monisola Odumosu, a member of the legal team representing the Aloba family, it was revealed on Wednesday that this order was issued following two unsuccessful attempts by the court sheriff to personally serve Wunmi with the court process.”

It will be recalled that the Aloba family is questioning the paternity of baby Liam and is asking Wunmi to present herself along with the baby for a DNA test at a recognized laboratory in Lagos.

In the application filed by the legal team to Joseph Aloba, father to the late singer, the family sought an order to serve Wunmi the court papers for the DNA, by posting all the originating processes and other processes in the suit on the last-known address of the respondent.

Odumosu said, “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.

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 also added that the matter had been adjourned till next month for the report of service.

Counsel to Wunmi, Taiwo Olawanle, has however 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”.

Mohbad, aged 27, died on September 12, 2023, under controversial circumstances. He had left his
record label, Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, in February 2022.

In September, 2023, The singer’s body was exhumed for autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.

The Lagos State Police Command had in the same September also 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.

At the last sitting of the Coroner inquiring into the cause of his death on March 2024, the Director of the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, Dr Richard Somiari, had indicated that the results of an autopsy conducted on the deceased body would be ready in the next three to four weeks.

Somiari gave the assurance while testifying before the coroner, Magistrate Adedayo Shotobi.