Nigerian police have charged Anthony Joshua’s driver, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, with causing death by dangerous driving after a crash that killed two people on 29 December. Kayode also faces charges of driving without a valid licence and driving without due care and attention, causing bodily harm and damage to property. He is due to appear in court on 20 January.
The Federal Road Safety Corps in Nigeria said the vehicle was believed to be travelling beyond the legal speed limit. Kayode was driving the former world heavyweight boxing champion, Joshua, 36, along with his personal trainer Latif Ayodele and strength coach Sina Ghami on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. The Lexus SUV crashed into a stationary lorry carrying soya beans that was illegally parked on the hard shoulder, 30 miles from Lagos. Ayodele and Ghami, both 36, died at the scene.
Kayode, a longstanding member of Joshua’s team, was granted bail of 5 million naira (£2,580) but will remain in custody until conditions are met. Joshua and Kayode survived with minor injuries; Kayode was taken to hospital and kept under observation for two days. After the crash, Joshua and his mother paid their respects at the funeral home.
The accident occurred 10 days after Joshua’s victory against YouTuber Jake Paul in the US. The Ogun state government confirmed that Joshua and another passenger were evacuated to a medical facility in Lagos, where doctors determined they were stable and did not require emergency intervention.
