Nigerian socialite Balogun Olamilekan Eletu, aka Sam Larry, has denied having a hand in the death of Promise “Mohbad” Aloba after videos showed him confronting the singer during a video shoot. 

“I have been away since August 20! Till now, I don’t know anything other than what was written in the blogs and press,” said Sam Larry, who claimed to have been in Kenya before Mohbad’s death on September 12. He said he was away to search for a star to perform at his mother’s annual remembrance. 

In a statement he shared on his Snapchat page, the socialite, an ally of Naira Marley, who was also accused of mistreating Mohbad, explained that the source of his dispute with the late singer was a N2 million owed to him by the “Peace” crooner. 

In videos on social media, Sam Larry was spotted confronting Mohbad during a music video shoot with Zlatan, where he harassed the singer. 

But despite facing allegations related to Mohbad’s passing, Sam Larry underscored that their disagreement was exclusively centred around the unsettled debt. He asserted that he paid Mohbad N2 million for a performance at his mother’s annual remembrance concert, but the late singer failed to attend. 

According to Sam Larry, when asked about the N2 million, Mohbad claimed to have been ill and broke since he was leaving Naira Marley’s Marlian Records. He said Mohbad claimed to have lost his phone when operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) raided his apartment in early 2022.

“I then left, all for me to later hear that this same boy was having a musical video shoot the next door, practically next street to my house, so I went there to ask for my money again, we had an argument that lasted five minutes, even one of his friends insisted he was going to pay the money, up till today one kobo they have not paid me, this was early last year. I have since then moved on,” Sam Larry stated. 

He further claimed, “ I don’t even know where he lives; I only know his former record label boss and their house. I don’t know any nurse or doctor or hospital; I don’t know anything about his movement; I don’t have that time; I have lost a lot of money than before; you win some, you lose some.  This is my story. I came willingly and happily. I know nothing about the musician died.”

He was taken into police custody Thursday evening over the ongoing investigation of Mohbad’s death.

Meanwhile, Mohbad had, in June this year, petitioned the police, seeking protection against alleged threats to his life and properties by Sam Larry. 

In the petition, Mohbad alleged that he was shooting a video when thugs numbering about 15 and led by Sam Larry attacked him with dangerous weapons and threatened him. He said Sam Larry claimed to be acting on the orders of Oba Elegushi.