Crime: Adedoyin Now Faces Murder Charge Over OAU Student’s Death

Kazeem Badmus

Chief Rahmon Adedoyin, owner of Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, State of Osun, is now facing a murder charge over the death of a postgraduate student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Mr. Timothy Adegoke.

This follows the amendment of the charges against the accused persons standing trial on the death of the OAU student at an Osogbo High Court.

The court, on Monday, granted an application for the amendment of charges against Adedoyin and six of his workers, Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle, and Adedeji Adesola are being charged.

Adedoyin’s son, Raheem and other suspects at large have also been included in the new charges bordering on conspiracy, murder, attempted felony, unlawful interference with a dead body, altering and intent to destroy evidence.

After the parties had called their witnesses, the prosecutor, Chief Femi Falana, SAN,  approached the court with an 18-paragraph application dated June 14, 2022, and sought to further amend and substitute the charges against the defendants to complement already established evidence.

Counsels to the defendants, Kehinde Eleja, Kunle Adegoke, Rowland Otaru, and Okon Edet, had urged the court to discountenance the application, saying it was brought in bad faith.

However, Chief Judge of the State of Osun, Justice Adepele Ojo, granted the amendment while delivering her ruling on the application when the matter resumed on Monday.

The amended charge sheet has 18-count as against the former 11-count charges.

Adedoyin, who was only facing conspiracy and felony accusation, has been included in the murder charge.

Two other defendants, Kazeem Oyetunde and Aderogba Adeniyi were also slammed with new charges of stealing phone, laptop and other belongings of the deceased after allegedly dumping his body inside a bush.

The amended charges were read to the defendants and they all pleaded not guilty.

The murder charge reads: “That you Dr. Rahmon Adedoyin, Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle, Adedeji Adesola and others now at large, on or between 5th day of November, 2021 and 7th day of November, 2021, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court, did unlawfully kill one Timothy Adegoke and thereby committed offence contrary to and punishable under section 306 of the Criminal Code, Vol II, Cap 34, Laws of Osun State, 2002.”

Some of the defendants’ counsel informed the court that they would be calling and re-calling their witnesses in lieu of the addition of offences against their clients.

The defence counsels urged the court to adjourn the case for them to prepare their witnesses.

Justice Ojo granted the request and adjourned the matter till December 2 for calling and recalling of witnesses.