World heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua narrowly escaped death after changing seats moments before a fatal road accident in Ogun State that claimed the lives of two of his friends, a Nigerian court has heard.
Joshua was in a horrific car crash that killed two of his best friends in Nigeria earlier this week
According to a report by the Daily Mail UK, Joshua, 36, was initially seated in the front passenger seat of an SUV conveying him and his entourage from Lagos to Sagamu after their arrival in Nigeria for a holiday.
He later moved to the back seat shortly before the vehicle crashed, a decision that proved lifesaving.
The revelation emerged at the Sagamu High Court during the arraignment of Joshua’s driver, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 47, who pleaded not guilty to multiple charges including dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, and driving without due care and attention.
Prosecutors also alleged that the driver did not possess a valid driver’s licence at the time of the crash.
Kayode, who has reportedly worked for Joshua for more than three years, was granted bail in the sum of N5 million, with sureties allowed under Nigerian law. The case was adjourned to January 20 for trial
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Kayode’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, said the driver maintained that the incident was a tragic accident caused by brake failure. He explained that Joshua was asked to move to the back seat because his size obstructed the driver’s view of the wing mirror, while Latif Ayodele, one of the victims, occupied the front seat after the swap.
Anthony Joshua swapped seats from the front to the back of the SUV before the crash which killed two of the heavyweight boxer’s friends, a lawyer for the driver has revealed
Two passengers, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, died from injuries sustained when the SUV reportedly collided with a truck parked by the roadside. Joshua was hospitalised following the crash.
Outside the courtroom, members of Kayode’s family expressed sympathy for the victims’ families but insisted on his innocence.
His son, Ifeoluwa Adeniyi, told the Daily Mail that his father was not a reckless driver and claimed the accident could have been avoided if the truck had not been parked illegally.
The Daily Mail also published photographs showing Anthony Joshua arriving in Nigeria shortly before the fatal journey.
The incident has reignited concerns over road safety, vehicle maintenance, and enforcement of traffic regulations on Nigerian highways.
Source: Daily Mail UK