The Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State, upheld Dr. Ramon Adedoyin’s death sentence for murdering Timothy Adegoke. Adegoke was a former Master’s student at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.
On Thursday, the appellate court confirmed the Osun State High Court’s earlier decision, which convicted Adedoyin and sentenced him to death. Adedoyin, owner of Hilton Hotel in Ile-Ife, received the death penalty by hanging in May 2023 for the murder committed in 2021.
Trial judge Oyebola Ojo also convicted two accomplices involved in the crime. The court ordered the forfeiture of Adedoyin’s hotel and a Hilux bus used to transport Adegoke’s body to a dumping site.
In November 2021, Adegoke traveled from Abuja to Moro, Osun State, to take an exam at OAU’s distance learning center. After checking into Hilton Hotel, he was reported missing two days later, and his body was later discovered, leading to investigations that implicated Adedoyin and others.
Displeased with the high court’s judgment, Adedoyin appealed to the appellate court to overturn the conviction and sentence. Kehinde Eleja, Adedoyin’s counsel, argued that the evidence and witnesses did not establish his client’s involvement in the murder.
On Thursday, a three-member panel led by Olufemi Akeju upheld the conviction and death sentence of Adedoyin, affirming the high court’s ruling. However, the court overturned the previous order requiring Adedoyin to forfeit his hotel and fund Adegoke’s children’s education.