Founder of Oduduwa University and popular hotelier, Dr Rahmon Adedoyin, was on Tuesday sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of Timothy Adegoke, a former Masters student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The late Adegoke was killed at Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, owned by Adedoyin, in November, 2021.

Delivering judgment in the celebrated case, an Osun State High Court found the popular hotel owner and school proprietor, Dr Rahmon Adedoyin, and three others guilty in the murder case of Adegoke, whose death occurred between November 5 and 7, 2021 at Hilton Honours Hotel, Ile-Ife.

The court pronounced that they are to die by hanging.

Adedoyin 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.

Osun Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, while delivering her judgement, held that the circumstantial evidence available to the court, pointed to the killing of Adegoke while being a guest at the hotel owned by Adedoyin.

According to her, Adedoyin’s decision not to enter the witness box did not help him, as the circumstantial evidence had shifted the burden of proof on him.

Justice Ojo also said Adedoyin’s decision not to enter the witness box meant he agreed to the murder charge pressed against him by the prosecution, dismissing the alibi pleaded on his behalf by his counsel, who said the hotel owner was in Abuja for many days around the time the death of the late Adegoke occurred.

Adedoyin and three staff of the hotel were convicted of conspiracy to murder and murder of Adegoke.

Justice Ojo discharged three defendants – Magdalene Chiefuna, Lawrence Oluwole and Adedeji Adesola – from the counts of conspiracy to murder and murder.

However, they were found culpable of other counts in the charge.

Adedoyin was found culpable and hereby convicted of counts 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 15 and 16.

The court held that the second autopsy reports signed by two pathologists from Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital was thwarted as the court holds that “it’s a report by persons with vested interest”.

Justice Ojo established that the late Adegoke lodged in Hilton Hotel and paid into the account of the 7th defendant.

“I found the first defendant (Rahmon Adedoyin) culpable of the conspiracy to murder and murder.”

The court held that evidence presented before the court placed Oyetunde Kazeem “squarely among those who perpetrated the acts” and found guilty of the counts.

Seventh defendant (Adedeji Adesola) was “carefully chorographed into the act. The circumstance around her were not strong to found her culpable of the count 1, 2, and 3”.

“The 1st, 3rd and 5th defendants are culpable of the offence of conspiracy to improperly, indecently dumping of the deceased body and are guilty as charged.”

The 1st, 3rd and 5th defendants are culpable of the offence of conspiracy to improperly, indecently dumping of the deceased body and are guilty as charged.”