Dr Ramon Adedoyin, the owner of Hilton Hotels, Ile-Ife, Osun State, and two of his staff members have appealed the death sentence judgment by Osun State Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo in Osogbo, Osun State.
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Control TV reported that Adedoyin and two of his staff were convicted for the murder of ex-Masters student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Timothy Adegoke by an Osun State High Court.
Adegoke, a postgraduate student from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), was murdered between November 5 and 7, 2021, at the Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife.
Consequently, Adedoyin who was also the founder of Oduduwa University was 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.
Justice Ojo, while her delivering judgment said circumstantial evidence tendered against Adedoyin showed that he and some staff members at his hotel were responsible for Adegoke’s death.
Justice Ojo sentenced Adedoyin, and two of his staff members that participated in the evacuation of the deceased from the hotel, Adeniyi Aderogba and Oyetunde Kazeem, to death by hanging.
Thr judge also ruled that the hotel where Adegoke’s death occurred should be forfeited to the state government, while education of the deceased’s children should be funded till they complete tertiary institution from the estates of the convicts.
However, Adedoyin and his two staff have now filed appeal against the verdict before an Appeal court.
The judge, though freed three staff members of the hotel namely; Magdalene Chiefuna, Oluwole Lawrence, and Adebayo Kunle, while the seventh defendant, Adesola Adedeji, who was the receptionist on duty on the day late Adegoke arrived at the facility, was sentenced to two years imprisonment starting from the day of her arrest.
Confirming that the convicts had appealed the judgment of the Osun State High Court on the matter, one of the lawyers that represented Adedoyin in the case, Mr Muhydeen Adeoye said, “We have filed an appeal against the judgment of Osun State High Court. The appeal was filed before the Court of Appeal, Akure.”
