Anthony Joshua has landed back home in the United Kingdom to continue his recovery following a motor accident in Nigeria that killed two of his team members.
Joshua’s personal trainer, Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, and strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, tragically passed away on Monday after the SUV they were travelling in crashed into a stationary truck on a highway just outside Lagos, Nigeria.
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Joshua sustained minor injuries but lost two friends in the accidentCredit: Adeniyi Orojo
Joshua was taken to hospital with minor injuries before being discharged on Wednesday.
The boxer and his mother then immediately visited the funeral home to pay their respects to his fallen friends, where their bodies were being prepared for repatriation.
Ayodele and Ghami’s funerals are set to take place on January 4 at London Central Mosque, with AJ touching down at London Stansted Airport on Friday night ahead of the ceremony.
Driver Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, was charged with death by dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care, and driving without a valid driver’s license on Friday.
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The defendant was granted bail in the sum of five million naira (£2,579) and has been remanded pending the conditions of his bail being met.
The case has been adjourned until January 20.
Kayode’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, told the Daily Mail: “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…
“From what I understand, Latif was in front and then changed seats with Anthony.”
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Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, Ayodele, was confirmed as a fatality from the crash
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As was Ghami, his sport and exercise rehabilitation coach
A spokesperson for Ogun State’s Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, suggested that the chauffeur was exceeding the speed limit at the time of the crash.
He said: “From the preliminary investigation that was conducted, definitely there was overspeeding on the part of the SUV Anthony Joshua was travelling in.
“In the course of that, the front tyre on the passenger side burst.
“That led to loss of control before the vehicle now swerved and rammed into the stationary lorry that was parked.
“There was excessive speed.”