An Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo, on Monday, declared that a prima facie case has been established against the owner of Hilton Hotel, Dr. Rahmon Adedoyin and six of his workers, arraigned in connection with the death of late Timothy Adegoke, a Master’s student at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.
According to The Guardian, the trial judge, Justice Adepele Ojo disclosed this while ruling on the no-case submission filed by the defendants in their murder trial.
Adedoyin and six others including, Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwale Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle and Adedeji Adesola were arraigned on 11- count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, tampering with corpse, altering of receipt and administration of extrajudicial oath, among others.
The prosecution led by Mathew Omosun had urged the court to dismiss the no case submission on the ground that a prima facie case had been established against the defendants on all evidence before the court.
Ruling on the no-case submission, the Osun Chief Judge, said going by the exhibits presented by all witnesses, the defendants have a case to answer regarding the death of Adegoke and called them to enter their defence.
“Given the circumstances of this case, I am of the respectful view that a prima facie case has been established. It should be noted that this ruling is not a judgment on whether the defendants are guilty or not.
“The no case submission has been discharged and I hereby call on defendants to enter their defence in the charges against them,” the judge ruled.
Responding to the ruling, one of the defence counsel, Kehinde Eleja (SAN), told the court that they were not ready to immediately file their defence, since they were not sure of the outcome of their submission.
He then prayed the court for more time to file their defence. Consequently, Justice Ojo adjourned till April 25 for the defence to open their case.
Also, in another version of the story reported by The Nation, Adedoyin and son were at the hotel the night Adegoke died.
According to the report, a receptionist at Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Adesola Adedeji, said the hotel owner, Dr Rahmon Adedoyin and his son, Roheem, came to the hotel the night Timothy Adegoke died.
Timothy had lodged in the hotel on Friday, November 5, 2021, but his body was found in a shallow grave.
The trial resumed on Monday at the Osun State High Court in Osogbo, presided over by Justice Oyebola Adepele-Ojo.
Adedeji told the court that the hotel had a functional CCTV camera till November 6, 2021, but she did not know why the monitor in the reception was removed on November 9, 2021, when she resumed duty again.
Under cross-examination by Femi Falana (SAN), Adedeji said Adedoyin came to the hotel about 8pm to check on the workers, while his son came around 10pm same day. She, however, claimed not to know when they left.
She added: “Rahmon Adedoyin did not enter the room that day. Roheem also did not enter room 305 on the day the incident happened.
“Our hotel had a CCTV camera which worked up till 12noon of November 6 when I left office. But on November 9, I noticed that the CCTV monitor at the receptionist desk had been removed. I asked receptionist Moshood Qodri what happened to the TV and CCTV, but he said he also did not see but he is sure it couldn’t have been stolen.”
He also told the court that a meeting held at Adedoyin’s house which was attended by two more receptionists who are now on the run – Esther Asigor and Qodri Moshood.
According to her, Dr Adedoyin told her to tell investigating police officers that the deceased neither lodged in the hotel nor transferred any money in connection to lodging on the said day.
After the hearing, Justice Adepele-Ojo adjourned the matter till June 27 for the adoption of a final written address.
The Guardian/ The Nation
