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This is the chauffeur who was driving Anthony Joshua when he crashed and killed two of the boxing champion’s best friends in Nigeria last week.
Adeniyi Kayode, 47 – pictured here for the first time – was at the wheel of the black Lexus SUV when it ploughed into the back of a stationary truck carrying soya beans as he drove Joshua and his friends.
Strength and conditioning coach Sina Ghami, and personal trainer Latif Ayodele, both 36, were killed instantly in the crash as the vehicle’s side was sheared off.
The boxer, 36, and Kayode himself escaped without incurring serious injuries.
In Joshua’s case, his survival was miraculous as he had swapped seats with Latif at the last minute before the group drove from the capital Lagos to the town of Sagamu, an hour away, where the fighter has family.
Kayode appeared before a magistrate in Sagamu on Friday charged with dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, having no licence and driving without due care and attention causing bodily harm to damage and property.
If convicted he could face life in prison.
The authorities are still hunting for the driver of the truck which was parked illegally on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway – one of Nigeria’s deadliest roads.
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Father-of-three Adeniyi, who has worked for Joshua for more than three years, was granted bail but returned to custody until the 5 million Naira (£2,500) bond was paid and it is understood he was released yesterday.
After the hearing his 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 failed.
‘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.’
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’.
Ifeoluwa Adeniyi, 19, told the Daily Mail: ‘The family is very upset by what’s happened and we are sorry for the deaths of the two people.
