A shocking twist of fate meant Anthony Joshuacheated death moments before the fatal car crash that killed two of his friends, the Daily Mail can reveal.
The World Champion boxer, 36, swapped seats from the front to the back of his SUV before the smash which killed Sani Ghami and Latif Adeyole just hours after they arrived in Nigeria for a holiday.
In addition the Daily Mail has learned that Joshua’s driver did not have a valid driver’s licence before the smash on Nigeria’s most deadly road which hospitalised the multi-millionaire boxer.
The jaw-dropping revelation emerged at the hearing for his driver Kayode Adeniyi, 47, in Sagamu High Court at which he denied all charges against him which included dangerous driving.
Adeniyi was wearing a black Muslim kaftan and pleaded not guilty when the charges were read out to him by the clerk as members of his family attended. He claims he is innocent and the brakes failed.
Adeniyi, who has worked for Joshua for more than three years, was granted bail and rushed away by police to Sagamu Correctional Centre for paperwork to be completed.
Anthony Joshua swapped seats from the front to the back of the SUV before the crash which killed two of the heavyweight boxers friends, a lawyer for the driver has revealed
The Daily Mail can identify the chauffeur that crashed the car carrying Joshua on Monday as 47-year-old Kayode Adeniyi.
The driver’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.‘
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 Latif was in front and then changed seats with Anthony.’
Bail was set at 5 million Naira (£2,580) but under the Nigerian system it doesn’t have to be cash but valuables are admissible.
Adeniyi was charged on four counts including, dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without care and attention and driving without a valid drivers license.
His case was adjourned to 20th January this year for his trial.
Outside court the driver’s wife was too hysterical too speak but his son told the Daily Mail his father was innocent and it was ‘just an unlucky accident’.
‘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 and they were only a few minutes from arriving.
‘It’s not his fault, if the truck wasn’t parked there illegally this wouldn’t have happened.’
-DailyMail.
