Justice Adepele Ojo of Osun State High Court, on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, found the infamous hotelier, Dr Ramon Adedoyin, guilty in the murder case of Timothy Adegoke, a former master’s degree student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Having found Adedoyin guilty of killing the former OAU student, whose death occurred between November 5 and 7, 2021, at Hilton Honours Hotel, Ile-Ife, the judge consequently convicted him, and sentenced him to death.
In her ruling, the Osun Chief Judge 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.
Ojo explained that 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.
According to the judge, 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, who owns the hotel where the deceased lodged before he was declared missing and subsequently found inside a bush where he was purportedly dumped, has been standing trial alongside some of his staff members, for the murder of Adegoke.
The defendants, Adedoyin, Magdalene Chiefuna (24), Adeniyi Aderogba (37), Oluwale Lawrence (37), Oyetunde Kazeem (38), Adebayo Kunle (35) and Adedeji Adesola (23), were arraigned on 11 count charges bothering on conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful killing of the former OAU student, conspiracy to commit a felony, dumping of the body of Adegoke, conspiracy to improperly and indecently interfere with the body of Adegoke, conspiracy to alter receipt, altering and cancelling of receipt and administering of extra-judicial oath in connection with the killings.