January 03, (THEWILL) — The driver conveying former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua during a fatal road crash that claimed the lives of two associates has been arraigned and granted ₦5 million bail by a Sagamu Magistrate Court in Ogun State.
The Ogun State Police Command identified the defendant as 46-year-old Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode. He was formally charged on Friday, January 2, 2026, according to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi.
Kayode faces a four-count charge including dangerous driving causing death, contrary to Section 5(1) of the Federal Highway Act.
Other charges brought against him include reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care and attention causing bodily harm and damage to property, and driving without a valid National Driver’s Licence.
The presiding magistrate granted the defendant bail in the sum of ₦5 million with two sureties.
However, the court ordered that Kayode be remanded in custody pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions.
The case has been adjourned to January 20, 2026, for further proceedings.
The tragic accident occurred on Monday, December 29, 2025, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway near the Makun axis.
The incident generated intense public interest following social media reports that initially suggested the boxing star was behind the wheel. The Ogun State Police Command later clarified that Joshua was a passenger and is not a suspect in the criminal case.
According to police findings, the Lexus SUV driven by Kayode suffered a tyre burst while travelling at high speed during an overtaking maneuver. The vehicle subsequently rammed into a stationary truck laden with soya beans that was parked on the hard shoulder.
The collision resulted in the instant deaths of Joshua’s long-time associates: Sina Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Latif Ayodele, his personal trainer.
Both Joshua and the driver sustained minor injuries and were treated at a medical facility in Lagos. While the driver was taken into custody upon his discharge, Anthony Joshua was released on Wednesday evening and has since visited a funeral home in Lagos with his mother to pay his respects to his late friends before the repatriation of their bodies to the United Kingdom.
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