Ogun crash: Anthony Joshua swapped seat before crash, says driver

By : David Meshioye

Date: 3 January 2026 9:16am WAT

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Driver's lawyer, Barr Olalekan Abiodun at Ogun State MultiDoor Court, Sagamu on Friday. PIX by David Meshioye

Driver's lawyer, Barr Olalekan Abiodun at Ogun State MultiDoor Court, Sagamu on Friday. PIX by David Meshioye

Unknown to many, former unified heavyweight champion,  Anthony Joshua, escaped death by a whisker after his embattled driver, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, told Ogun State Multidoor Court, Sagamu, that the boxer swapped seats a few minutes before the crash.

Adeniyi appeared at the Ogun State Multicourt, Sagamu, on Friday and pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, reckless driving, and driving without a license.

Fielding questions from government lawyers, Adeniyi revealed that Joshua had swapped the front seat and was advised to sit behind the driver, given his height.

Dressed in a black Muslim kaftan, the 47-year-old driver revealed that he had advised the boxer to vacate the front seat when he felt uncomfortable with his legs.

” AJ was initially seated at the front, but due to his height and legs, he told AJ to move to the back seat behind him. The journey started smoothly from the airport right to the expressway until he couldn’t feel the brake anymore,” he told the Ogun State MultiDoor court in Sagamu on Friday.

According to him, he said he was driving at 70 km/h when he tried to swerve to the right, which took him towards the right side where the truck was parked.

His lawyer In a chat with The Guardian in Sagamu, the driver’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, defended his client and described the accident as unfortunate

’My client has pleaded not guilty, and what happened was an accident. I haven’t had a full chance to speak with him yet, but I know he is saying the brakes did not work.

‘I also understand that the journey started in Lagos and that initially Anthony had got into the front seat, but the driver asked him to swap seats.‘

He did this because Anthony is a big fellow, and he couldn’t see the wing mirror properly, so he asked him to move, and he sat behind the driver.

‘From what I understand, Anthony was in front and then changed seats with Latif

Bail was set at 5 million Naira (£2,580) in bonds and four sureties.

Kayode was charged with four counts, including dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without care and attention and driving without a valid driver’s license.

His case was adjourned to January 20th this year for trial.

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