Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Magistrate's Court in Sagamu, Ogun State, has adjourned until November 17, 2026, the trial of Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, the 46-year-old driver whose vehicle crashed on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on December 29, 2025, injuring former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and killing two members of his team. The adjournment on Thursday, September 10, came after proceedings scheduled for the day were pushed back, with the case continuing over charges arising from the fatal accident that shocked Nigeria and the international sporting world.
Kayode faces a four-count charge bordering on dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care and attention, and driving without a valid national driver's licence. He has denied all the charges. According to prosecutors, Kayode was attempting to overtake another vehicle when the Lexus SUV carrying Joshua and his team crashed into a stationary truck around the Makun area, near Sagamu. The accident occurred while Joshua and his team were travelling to visit his father in Ogun State. Joshua's personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, and his strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, died in the crash. Joshua, who sustained injuries, was taken to hospital and later discharged after doctors certified him fit to continue his recovery at home.
The trial, which began in January at the Magistrate Court in Ogun State, has been marked by repeated adjournments. Kayode was initially arraigned before the Sagamu Magistrate's Court on January 2, 2026, and granted bail of five million naira with two sureties. The case was subsequently adjourned to January 20, then to February 25, then to September 10, and now to November 17. Each adjournment has prolonged the wait for closure for the families of the deceased and for the defendant himself.
Earlier proceedings revealed critical details about the crash. Inspector Christopher Ajayi Taiwo of the Ogun State Motor Traffic Division told the court that by the time he arrived at the scene, both the damaged Lexus and the stationary lorry had been removed. However, debris from the crash and soya beans scattered on the road from the lorry's load were found by officers. The only items recovered from the Lexus were a logbook, painkillers, and an energy drink found near the driver's side. The court also heard that police had yet to take a statement from Joshua following the crash. During cross-examination, Kayode's lawyer questioned the officer over the lack of a statement, to which he replied that efforts were ongoing and that he had not contacted Joshua because he did not have his number. A second defendant, Abubakar Adamu, 35, the driver of the stationary lorry the car collided with, also denies a charge of obstructing the free flow of traffic.
Findings by the Federal Road Safety Corps indicated that the Lexus SUV was suspected to have been travelling beyond the prescribed speed limit and lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre before crashing into the stationary truck. The tragedy attracted widespread attention in Nigeria and internationally after the deaths of Ayodele and Ghami, who were key members of Joshua's team. Ghami had worked as Joshua's strength and conditioning coach for more than a decade, while Ayodele served as his personal trainer. Both were described as close friends and long-standing members of the boxer's inner circle. Joshua, who was born in Watford and has family roots in Sagamu, posted a tribute to the two men on social media after the collision. "I didn't even realise how special they are," he wrote. "I'll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men. 100 per cent it's tough for me, but I know it's even tougher for their parents."
The adjournment to November 17 means that the legal battle over the December 29 crash will stretch into its eleventh month. For the families of Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, the delay prolongs an already agonising wait for accountability. For Kayode, who has consistently denied the charges, the adjournment extends the uncertainty surrounding his future. And for the Nigerian judicial system, the case serves as another example of the slow pace of justice in a country where court proceedings are frequently delayed by procedural issues, adjournments, and logistical challenges. The trial will resume on November 17 at the Magistrate Court in Sagamu, where the prosecution is expected to present further evidence and witnesses. Until then, the families of the deceased, the defendant, and the public will continue to wait for a resolution to a case that captured global attention and reminded the world of the fragility of life on Nigeria's highways.
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