From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The owner of Hilton Hotel and Resort, Ile-Ife, where a Master student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Timothy Adegoke, was allegedly murdered, Dr. Rahmon Adedoyin, and six others have been remanded in Ilesa correctional center by an Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo.
The court presided over by the Chief Judge of Osun, Justice Oyebola Adepele-Ojo, ordered the remand of the defendants to take the application for bail of the defendants.
Other defendants accused of conspiring with Adedoyin to commit the purported crime are: ,Adedeji Adesola (23), Magdalene Chiefuna (24), Adeniyi Aderogba (37), Oluwale Lawrence (37), Oyetunde Kazeem (38), Adebayo Kunle (35).
Adedoyin who is also the founder of Oduduwa University, Ile-Ife, dressed in white Jalabia as he arrived the court alongside other defendants amidst tight security.
They were arraigned on 11 count charges bothering on conspiracy, unlawful killing, attempt to commit felony to wit killing, dumping of remains of Adegoke inside bush, improper and indecent interference with the body of the deceased.
The charge sheet alleged that the defendants dumped the body of Adegoke, his laptop and mobile phone inside bush to cover up that the deceased did not sleep in Hilton hotel.
They were also alleged to have altered a receipt number 9316 to cover up that the deceased did not pay to the hotel.
When the charge was read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty to the allegations leveled against them by the police.
Counsel to the 1st, 3rd and 6th defendants, K. K. Elega SAN, in a bail application submitted to the court and dated February 23rd, urged the court to admit his clients to bail.
He noted that charges 4,6,8,10 and 11 where the name of the 1st defendant appeared, showed that Adedoyin is not standing trial for a capital offence and by virtue of section 157 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Osun state 2018, the court is enjoined to grant bail to the defendant.
Also, counsel to the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 7th defendants, Kunle Adegoke SAN, urged the court to grant his clients bail, noting that the application of the 7th defendant could not be filed because of the amendment of charge sheet by the prosecution.
But, the prosecutor, M. O. Omosun, urged the court to remand the defendants in correctional center and a date be given for commencement of trial.
Justice Adepele-Ojo thereby ordered the remand of the defendants in Ilesa correctional center and adjourned the case to March 4 for counsel to file application of the 7th defendant.