The Court of Appeal, sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has upheld the death sentence of Dr. Ramon Adedoyin, a prominent hotel owner, for his involvement in the murder of Timothy Adegoke, a former Master’s student at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, the appellate court affirmed the decision of the Osun State High Court, which had initially sentenced Adedoyin to death. The Court of Appeal dismissed Adedoyin’s appeal in part, stating that he had been properly convicted and sentenced.
The judgment also quashed the previous order for the forfeiture of Hilton Hotel, as well as the order for an educational scholarship to the children of the deceased, which had been issued by the lower court.
Adegoke’s body was discovered in November 2021 at Adedoyin’s Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife, where he had been staying. A subsequent investigation revealed that after his death, Adedoyin’s staff, including hotel workers Adeniyi Aderogba and Oyetunde Kazeem, had wrapped Adegoke’s body in a duvet and transported it in a Hilux van driven by Roheem Adedoyin, the hotel owner’s son, to dispose of the corpse in a nearby bush.
A pathologist from the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Waheed Oluogun, confirmed that Adegoke’s death was caused by severe hemorrhage due to traumatic injuries.
Adegoke, 37, who was pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree, was buried in January 2022 in Eruwa, Oyo State. His family and friends, including his widow Bolatito, mourned his tragic passing, with Bolatito visibly distraught at the gravesite.
The ruling marks a significant development in the case, which has attracted widespread attention due to the involvement of a prominent businessman and the nature of the crime.
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