OAU Student’s Murder: Court Strikes out Suit against Osun Hotelier

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja yesterday struck out the criminal charges filed against the Chairman of Hilton Hotels, Ile Ife, Osun State, High Chief Rahman Adedoyin, and some of his workers over the alleged murder of Timothy Adegoke.

The Judge struck out the suit following the prosecution’s withdrawal on grounds that it needed more time to conduct further investigations into the murder of the student.

The deceased, a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, was reported to have died under mysterious circumstances at Hilton Hotels in Ile Ife last November and was buried in a shallow grave in the area.

The Force Central Investigations Department (FCID) had filed criminal charges against Adedoyin, accusing him of attempted felony, conspiracy, unlawful interference with Adegoke’s corpse and

alleged tampering with the hotel’s receipt and CCTV camera with the intent to conceal evidence to prove that the deceased, Adegoke, lodged in the hotel.

The police allegedly excluded Adedoyin from the murder charge brought against his hotel workers and opted for lesser charges against him.

However, counsel to the deceased family, Femi Falana (SAN), confirmed to journalist that new charge would be filed at the Osun State High Court, being a place where the alleged cause of action originated from.

Those charged with the murder are 23-year-old Adedeji Adesola, Magdalene Chiefuna, 24; Adeniyi Aderogba and Oluwale Lawrence both 37; Oyetunde Kazeem, 38; Adebayo Kunle, 35; while others are said to still be at large.