By Abimbola Ogunnaike
Osun State High Court has found a popular hotel owner and founder of Oduduwa University, Ile Ife, Dr Ramon Adedoyin has been sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of Timothy Adegoke, a former master’s degree student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, whose death occurred between November 5 and 7, 2021, at Hilton Honours Hotel, Ile-Ife.
Delivering the judgment on Tuesday, 30 May, 2023, the state Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo, held that the circumstantial evidence available to the court, pointed to the killing of Adegoke while being a guest at the hotel owned by Adedoyin.
According to her, Adedoyin’s decision not to enter the witness box did not help him, as the circumstantial evidence had shifted the burden of proof on him.
The judge said that thus the convict refusal to enter the witness box meant he agreed to the murder charge pressed against him by the prosecution, just as she dismissed the alibi pleaded on his behalf by his counsel, who said the hotel owner was in Abuja for many days around the time the death of the late Adegoke occurred.
Details later….
