Anthony Joshua’s driver has been charged following a crash in Nigeria that injured the boxer and claimed the lives of two members of his team, police have confirmed.
Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, appeared at the Sagamu Magistrates’ Court on Friday, where he was charged with several offences, including causing death by dangerous driving.
Joshua’s personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, and strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, were killed on Monday when the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a stationary truck on a highway in Ogun state, near Lagos. Joshua was taken to hospital with injuries but was discharged on Wednesday.
Prosecutors brought four charges against Kayode: causing death by dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care and attention, and driving without a valid driver’s licence.
Kayode was granted bail of 5,000,000 naira (£2,578) and remanded in custody pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions. The case was adjourned until 20 January.
Joshua, 36, was a passenger in a Lexus SUV that struck a parked truck on the busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway in south-west Nigeria. Ghami and Ayodele were pronounced dead at the scene, while Joshua survived the crash.
In a joint statement, Ogun and Lagos state officials said the British boxer was “heavy-hearted” over the deaths of the two men, both of whom were close friends. After his discharge from hospital, Joshua visited the funeral home where their bodies were being prepared for repatriation.
Just hours before the crash, Joshua had posted a video on Instagram showing him playing table tennis with Ayodele.
Born in Watford, Joshua has family roots in Sagamu, a town in Ogun state near the crash site. He was travelling there to visit relatives for New Year celebrations at the time of the incident.
The boxer had been spending time in Nigeria following his recent victory over American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on 19 December.