The Osun State High Court has sentenced the owner of Hilton Hotel and Resort, Ile-Ife, Abdulrahman Adedoyin, to death by hanging over the murder of Timothy Adegoke.
a post-graduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University.
The hotelier was sentenced to death alongside two others who were found guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder
Adegoke a Business Administration (MBA) student, traveled from Abuja to Ile-Ife to write his examination. He lodged in the hotel, where he hoped to stay out the period of the examinations. But was declared missing by the police on 7 November 2021.
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Adedoyin who was also the founder of Oduduwa University charged along with six of his workers, Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem Adebayo Kunle and Adedeji Adesola as first to seventh defendants and were docked on 18-count which include murder, conspiracy, oath of secrecy among others.
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Justice Ojo, while her delivering judgment on Tuesday, said circumstantial evidence tendered against Adedoyin showed that he and some staff members at his hotel were responsible for Adegoke’s death.
According to her, Adedoyin’s decision not to enter the witness box did not help him, as the circumstantial evidence had shifted the burden of proof on him.
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The court stated that Adedoyin’s decision not to enter the witness box meant he agreed to the murder charge pressed against him by the prosecution.
The judge dismissed the alibi pleaded on his behalf by his counsel, who said the hotel owner was in Abuja for many days around the time the death of the late Adegoke occurred.
However, four members of staff prosecuted alongside Adedoyin were discharged and acquitted of the charges pressed against them
More details later…
