Timothy Adegoke, a former master's student at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, died between November 5 and November 7, 2021, in the Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife. The Osun State High Court has convicted the well-known hotel owner, Dr. Ramon Adedoyin, guilty of the murder case.
Adegoke was killed as a guest at the hotel operated by Adedoyin, according to the circumstantial evidence that the Osun Chief Judge Adepele Ojo found during her ruling on the case.
She said that because the onus of proof had been placed on him by the circumstantial evidence, Adedoyin's decision to remain outside the witness box did not help him.
In addition, Justice Ojo dismissed the alibi offered on behalf of Adedoyin by his attorney, who claimed that the hotel owner was in Abuja for several days around the time the late Adegoke passed away and that by refusing to testify, Adedoyin accepted the murder charge brought against him by the prosecution.
Two employees of the Hilton Hotels in Ile-Ife, Adeniyi Aderogba, and Kazeem Oyetunde, were also given death sentences by Justice Adepele Ojo, the chief judge of Osun State.
In Ile-Ife, three Hilton Hotel employees—Magdalene Chiefuna, Lawrence Oluwole, and Adedeji Adesola—were dismissed and found not guilty by the court, while the seventh defendant will be sentenced on Wednesday.
The staff members of the hotel Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem Adebayo Kunle, and Adedeji Adesola were also charged, along with Adedoyin, the chairman of Hilton Hotels, Ile-Ife.
The defendants were accused of violating an oath of secrecy, conspiracy, and 18 other offenses.