Chauffeur identified in Anthony Joshua’s fatal car accident
The chauffeur behind the wheel during Anthony Joshua’s devastating road accident in Nigeria has been identified as 47-year-old Kayode Adeniyi, a longstanding member of the boxer’s local logistics team, reports BritPanorama.
Nigerian police sources indicate that Adeniyi is expected to face charges of reckless driving within the next 48 hours following the fatal collision on Monday. The crash claimed the lives of two of Joshua’s closest associates: Sina Ghami, his personal trainer, and Kevin Latif Ayodele, known as Latz, who served as his sport and exercise rehabilitation coach.
Both men were 36 years old and had worked alongside the heavyweight champion for many years. Preliminary investigations by the Federal Road Safety Corps determined that Adeniyi was travelling at excessive speed when a front tyre on the passenger side burst during an overtaking manoeuvre.
The blowout caused Adeniyi to lose control of the vehicle, which subsequently careered into a stationary lorry laden with soya beans that had been illegally parked on the hard shoulder of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. The impact tore away the nearside section of the car, killing Ghami and Ayodele instantly.
Joshua, seated directly behind the driver, survived what local first responders described as a “miracle.” Meanwhile, the driver of the illegally parked truck absconded immediately after the collision and remains the subject of an active police manhunt.
Adeniyi underwent several hours of questioning at the Ogun state police headquarters, where he submitted a formal statement detailing his version of events leading up to the collision. Upon his discharge from a Lagos hospital late on New Year’s Eve, he was transported approximately two hours north to Abeokuta, the location of the accident.
The police confirmed he was released after treatment for minor injuries and was able to provide his account. “He is in a stable condition, and we expect a charging decision within the next 48 hours, but the bank holiday may delay proceedings,” a police source stated. A potential court appearance could take place on Friday, contingent upon the speed of administrative processes.
Joshua himself was discharged from hospital on Wednesday afternoon, having been deemed clinically fit to continue his recovery at home despite the emotional toll of losing his companions. Accompanied by his mother, the heavyweight boxer visited a funeral home in Lagos to pay his final respects as preparations were made for repatriating his friends’ remains to Britain.
The coffins carrying Ghami and Ayodele departed Lagos aboard a Turkish Airlines cargo flight, arriving in Istanbul early on New Year’s Day before continuing their journey to London. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter and Matchroom Boxing chairman, paid tribute on social media: “Rest in peace Latz and Sina. Your energy and loyalty among so many other great qualities will be deeply missed.”
In the wake of this tragedy, the boxing community reflects on the fragility of life, reminding everyone of the unpredictable incidents that can alter lives in an instant, both in and out of the ring.
