Appeal Court affirms Adedoyin’s death sentence over killing of Adegoke

From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

Akure division of the Court of Appeal yesterday,upheld the judgement of the Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo, which found businessman and hotelier, Rahmon Adedoyin guilty of murder charge.

The court subsequently sentenced Adedoyin to death by hanging as declared by the lower court, having been found guilty of the murder of a post graduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Timothy Adegoke.

Adegoke was found dead in one of the rooms at Hilton hotel, Ile-Ife,owned by Adedoyin, a development which led to the arrest and subsequent prosecution of Adedoyin and other staff of the hotel.

Delivering its judgment, the court affirmed the verdict of the Osun State High Court, which sentenced Adedoyin to death.

The Court of Appeal, which reserved its judgment on the matter on October 29, 2024, declared,“the judgment of the High Court of Osun State stands. Adedoyin’s appeal is dismissed in part.”

The Court of Appeal held that Adedoyin was properly convicted and sentenced to death appropriately.

However, the appellate court set aside some aspects of the lower court’s orders.  “Order of forfeiture of Hilton Hotel quashed and set aside. Order of education scholarship to children of Timothy Adegoke by Adedoyin and others quashed and set aside,” the court held.

Adegoke’s death was reported in November 2021, after he was discovered lifeless at the Hilton hotel in Ile-Ife, where he had lodged.