Justice Taiwo Olatokun of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Mr. Joseph Aloba, father of the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba (popularly known as Mohbad), which sought to invalidate the legal advice that cleared Naira Marley, Sam Larry, and others of involvement in his son’s death.

In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, Justice Olatokun affirmed that the Lagos State Attorney General—through the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP)—has the constitutional power to decide whether or not to pursue criminal charges, and such decisions are not open to judicial review in the manner Mr. Aloba requested.

“The constitutional powers of the Attorney General in this regard are not subject to judicial interference,” the judge ruled. “Therefore, the reliefs sought by the applicant lack merit and are hereby dismissed.”

Mr. Aloba, represented by his lawyer Wahab Shittu, argued that the DPP’s advice—which led to the release of the suspects—violated his right to fair hearing and undermined the ongoing coroner’s inquest into Mohbad’s death. However, the court disagreed, stating that the DPP’s decision was lawful and based on a careful review of available evidence.

The court further clarified that the suspects, including Naira Marley, Sam Larry, Prime Boy, and Babatunde Opere, were not acquitted but discharged due to a lack of sufficient evidence connecting them to the singer’s death.

In a counter-affidavit filed on June 24, 2025, legal officer Ayinde Ibrahim from the DPP’s office explained that the legal advice was based on a comprehensive review of the police investigation file. He noted that neither the coroner nor Mr. Aloba had access to the full findings that informed the DPP’s conclusions.

“There was no direct or circumstantial evidence linking the named individuals to the death,” Ibrahim stated, adding that the advice to discharge them aligned with due process and the evidence at hand.