By our Reporter
Anthony Joshua narrowly avoided death after a last-minute change of seats in a car crash that claimed the lives of two of his friends, according to a report by the UK’s Daily Mail on Friday.
The former world heavyweight boxing champion, 36, reportedly moved from the front passenger seat to the back of his SUV shortly before the accident, which killed Sani Ghami and Latif Adeyole just hours after they arrived in Nigeria for a holiday.
Joshua’s driver, Kayode Adeniyi, 47, appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to all charges, including dangerous driving. Dressed in a black Muslim kaftan, Adeniyi told the court the crash was not his fault, insisting that the vehicle’s brakes failed.
Adeniyi, who has been Joshua’s driver for over three years, was granted bail and later taken by police to Sagamu Correctional Centre for documentation.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the driver’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, said the incident was a tragic accident. He explained that the journey began in Lagos and that Joshua initially sat in the front seat but was later asked to move to the back because his size obstructed the driver’s view of the wing mirror.
According to the report, one of Joshua’s friends then took the front seat, the side of the vehicle that bore the brunt of the impact during the crash.
Outside the courtroom, Adeniyi’s wife was said to be too distraught to speak, while his 19-year-old son, Ifeoluwa Adeniyi, maintained his father’s innocence, describing the incident as an unfortunate accident.
“The family is very upset by what’s happened, and we are sorry for the deaths of the two people,” he said.
