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Anthony Joshua’s driver arraigned after deadly crash in southwest Nigeria

SAGAMU, Nigeria (AP) — The driver in a deadly car crash that injured British heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and killed his two friends in Nigeria was arraigned on Tuesday on four counts, including dangerous driving causing death and driving without a valid national driver’s license.

Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, appeared at a local court in southwestern Ogun state following the accident in December that occurred near the economic hub of Lagos.

Kayode was driving Joshua and his friends in a Lexus SUV when it hit a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which links Ogun state to Lagos, causing minor injuries to Joshua and the death of his two close associates, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele. Officials later said they found the driver to be driving at high speed.

The defendant was first charged early January for dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care and driving without a valid national driver’s license. He was at the time granted bail of 5 million naira ($3,480).

The defendant arrived at the Sagamu Magistrates Court in Ogun on Tuesday morning wearing a black hoodie and black trousers and in the company of his lawyers.

The court, however, adjourned the trial until Feb. 25 following a request by prosecutors.

Defense lawyers appeared to push back the application for adjournment. “Coupled with the fact that the matter is slated for definite hearing for today, and their witnesses are in court, nothing stops the court from going on,” Abiodun Olalekan, the defense counsel, told reporters.

Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion, returned to the United Kingdom after the accident that raised questions about road safety in Nigeria.

Joshua has family roots in Nigeria and he briefly attended boarding school there as a child. He also holds Nigerian nationality.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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