A court in Nigeria has been told that a vehicle transporting British heavyweight boxing star Anthony Joshua attempted a passing maneuver moments before a fatal collision late last year. The tragic accident claimed the lives of two close members of the athlete's training team.
Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, appeared in court facing multiple criminal counts, which include reckless driving and causing death by dangerous driving. He also faces an additional charge related to operating a vehicle without a valid national driver permit. The defendant has entered a plea of not guilty to all allegations against him.
The proceedings revealed that the incident occurred last December as the group journeyed to visit the boxer's father in Ogun State, located near Lagos. Investigators informed the bench that the passengers were resting when the operator of the Lexus sport utility vehicle lost control while trying to bypass a moving truck, ultimately crashing into a stationary lorry.
The impact resulted in the immediate deaths of two vital members of the sports star's entourage: personal trainer Latif Ayodele and strength and conditioning coach Sina Ghami. Anthony Joshua himself was traveling inside the vehicle as a passenger at the time of the impact and survived the incident.
A second individual, 35-year-old Abubakar Adamu, is also facing legal action in connection with the tragedy. As the operator of the stationary lorry involved in the collision, Adamu has denied a single charge accusing him of obstructing the free flow of traffic along the route.
Inspector Christopher Ajayi Taiwo, a representative of the Ogun State Motor Traffic Division, testified regarding the initial response to the emergency scene. The officer noted that by the time law enforcement personnel reached the location, both the wrecked SUV and the parked lorry had already been moved. However, officers documented visible remnants of the impact, including scattered debris and loads of soya beans spilled across the tarmac from the stationary vehicle.
During the session, defense counsel questioned the police witness regarding the absence of an official statement from Anthony Joshua in the case file. The inspector responded that investigators are still working to secure a statement and explained that officers had not reached out to the sports figure directly because they lacked his contact information.
Following the adjournment of the proceedings, the trial was suspended until September 10, when hearings are expected to resume.
Anthony Joshua, who grew up in the United Kingdom with familial connections to the Sagamu area in Ogun State, previously shared a heartfelt public tribute to his fallen colleagues. In his social media statement, the former champion reflected on the exceptional character of the two men and acknowledged the profound difficulty of processing the loss for everyone involved, particularly the families of the victims.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
