Anthony Joshua’s driver attempted to overtake another vehicle before ploughing into a stationary lorry in the crash that killed two of the boxer’s closest friends, a court in Nigeria has heard.
Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami – long-time members of Joshua’s inner circle, serving as his personal trainer and strength coach – died at the scene on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Makun, Ogun State. Joshua survived and was taken to hospital.
Overtake before impact
The driver, 46-year-old Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, stands accused of causing death by dangerous driving and driving without a valid licence. He denies both charges.
The court heard that on December 29, Joshua, Ayodele and Ghami were travelling to visit the former two-time unified heavyweight champion’s father in Ogun, just days after Joshua had stopped Jake Paul in a high-profile bout in Miami.
Inspector Christopher Ajayi Taiwo of the Ogun State Motor Traffic Division told the court that Kayode had attempted to overtake a moving truck when he lost control and smashed into a lorry that was parked by the roadside. All three passengers were said to have been asleep at the time of the collision.
The impact proved fatal for Ayodele and Ghami. Joshua was rushed from the wreckage to hospital.
Second driver also charged
The legal fallout does not end with Kayode. The driver of the stationary lorry, 35-year-old Abubakar Adamu, has been charged with obstructing the free flow of traffic. He also denies the allegation.
By the time police arrived, both vehicles had already been removed from the scene, Inspector Ajayi said. Officers instead found a logbook, painkillers and an energy drink close to the driver’s side, items that have now been entered into evidence.
In a striking admission, Ajayi told the court that local police have not yet taken a statement from Joshua himself. When Kayode’s lawyer pressed him on why such a key witness had not been interviewed, the inspector replied that he “didn’t have his number”.
The case has been adjourned until September 10, with both men still contesting the charges against them.
Grief that still lingers
The crash has cast a long shadow over Joshua’s year. When he returned to the ring in July to face Kristian Prenga, the heavyweight carried the memory of Ayodele and Ghami with him.
After his victory, the usually composed Joshua broke down in the ring as he tried to pay tribute to his late friends, tears cutting through the adrenaline of another win.
A month before that bout, he had spoken publicly about his determination to support their loved ones.
“My goal is to help their families and to help them achieve their goals, even though they may not be here in the physical. I will be saying my prayers, and I’m going to help them fulfill their dreams for their families,” Joshua said.
“It’s not only me though helping. There’s a whole team working on that stuff. There is a whole system that will be helping fulfill their legacy, fulfill their dreams. But I know in my corner of the world, I know what I’m doing, and I know what we’re gonna do to continue there.”
As the court prepares to resume in September, the legal arguments will centre on split-second decisions on a busy Nigerian expressway. For Joshua, the consequences of that night are already permanent.
