Update
The owner of Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, Dr Rahmon Adedoyin has been sentenced to death by hanging over the murder of a Masters student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Timothy Adegoke.
Adedoyin, who is a traditional chief of Ile-Ife, was sentenced to death with two of his staff, Adeniyi Aderogba the manager of the hotel, and Oyetunde Kazeem (Supervisor).
Adedoyin and his six staff- Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle, and Adedeji Adesola- were arraigned on 18 counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, felony, indecent interference of the corpse, alteration, cancellation of receipt and oath-taking to prevent justice.
Delivering the judgment, Osun Chief Judge Justice Oyebola Ojo discharged and acquitted three of the staff- Magdalene Chiefuna(2nd defendant), Oluwole Lawrence (4th defendant), and Adebayo Kunle(6th defendant).
However, Justice Ojo convicted Adedoyin on charges 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 15, and 16 which border on conspiracy to commit murder, murder, unlawful killing, conspiracy to administer extra judicial oath, indecent tempering with the deceased body, tempering with evidence and manufacturing of evidence.
She also convicted the 3rd and fifth defendants- Adeniyi Aderogba and Oyetunde Kazeem on counts, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 8.
Justice Ojo noted that there was no direct evidence linking the convicts to the killing of Adegoke but circumstantial evidence are compelling and are convicted accordingly.
She sentenced Adedoyin to ten years jail term on counts 1 (conspiracy to commit murder), and death by hanging on counts 2 and 3, (murder and unlawful killing of Timothy Adegoke). He was also sentenced to three years jail term on count 7, two years jail terms on count 9, and five years each on counts 15 and 16.
Aderogba and Kazeem were sentenced to ten years jail term on count 1, death by hanging on counts 2 and 3.
The court pended the sentencing of Adesola (Receptionist) till Wednesday after her counsel and prosecution counsel pleaded with the judge that she should be lenient with her sentencing because Adesola played a pivotal role in unraveling the knotty case.
She declared Rahman Adedoyin, son of the hotel owner, wanted and ordered INTERPOL to commence a serious manhunt for the accused with a view to arresting him in any part of the world he may be hiding.
The Nation
