A shocking twist revealed that Anthony Joshua narrowly avoided death moments before the car crash that claimed the lives of two of his friends, according to the UK’s Daily Mail.
The former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, 36, reportedly swapped seats from the front to the back of the SUV just hours before the accident, which killed Sani Ghami and Latif Adeyole shortly after their arrival in Nigeria for a holiday.
Joshua’s driver, Kayode Adeniyi, 47, appeared in court on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to charges including dangerous driving. Dressed in a black Muslim kaftan, Adeniyi maintained his innocence, claiming brake failure as the cause of the accident.
“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,” said his lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun.
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Abiodun added that the journey began in Lagos, and initially, Joshua had been in the front seat, but the driver asked him to swap seats because his large frame obstructed the wing mirror. The seat Joshua moved to later became the point of impact during the crash.
Outside court, Adeniyi’s family expressed shock and grief. His 19-year-old son, Ifeoluwa, told the Daily Mail:
“The family is very upset by what’s happened and we are sorry for the deaths of the two people. Dad is not a fast driver, he was following the speed limit and then the brakes failed, he said he was pushing the pedal, but nothing was happening.
“He tries to swerve and avoid the truck parked by the side of the road but hit it. He’s been driving for Anthony for three years, he’s a good driver.
“I know that when the journey started in Lagos, Anthony was sitting in the front by the driver but my dad asked him to sit behind because he was blocking his view. He was taking Anthony to see his family in Sagamu and had picked them up from the airport. They were only a few minutes from arriving.
“It’s not his fault, if the truck hadn’t parked there illegally, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Adeniyi was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Jumoke Somefun of Court 1 on four counts: dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care and attention, and driving without a valid National Driver’s Licence.
The prosecution cited Sections 5(1), 6(1), 7(1), and 10(1) of the Federal Highway Act, Cap F:135, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as applicable in Ogun State.
The magistrate granted Adeniyi bail of N5 million with two sureties in like sum. However, he was unable to meet the conditions and was remanded at Sagamu Correctional Centre pending the completion of the bail process. The case has been adjourned to January 20, 2026, for trial.