THE Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital has upheld the death sentence of a popular hotelier, Dr Ramon Adedoyin, who was found guilty in the murder case of an ex-Master’s student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Timothy Adegoke.
According to the court’s judgment delivered today (Thursday, 23 January 2025) the appellate court held that the judgment by the Osun State High Court which sentenced Adedoyin to death was valid.
The appeal court had on 29 October 2024 reserved judgment in the suit.
The judgment read in parts, “The judgment of the High Court of Osun State stands. Adedoyin’s appeal is dismissed in part. The Court of Appeal held that Adedoyin was properly convicted and sentenced to death.”
It further noted that the “Order of forfeiture of Hilton Hotel is quashed and set aside. Order of education scholarship to children of Timothy Adegoke by Adedoyin and others quashed and set aside.”
Adegoke, who was a former Master’s student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State and a chartered accountant, was killed in Adedoyin’s Hilton Honours Hotel, Ile-Ife after travelling to Ile-Ife to write his MBA exams.
Shortly after the judgement, Fatima Adesina, representing the respondent, the state government, on behalf of Femi Falana (SAN) said, “By the judgment just delivered now by the Court of Appeal, the court has upheld the conviction by the trial court for those various offences, especially for conspiracy to kill, unlawful killing, accessory after the fact and some other offences.
“However, the court quashed certain aspects of the decision of the trial court, especially the decision that relates to the order of the trial court mandating the respondent, the convicts, to be responsible for the education of the children of the deceased Timothy Adegoke.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media