OAU Student’s Murder: We’ve No Case to Answer, Adedoyin, Others Tell Court

The police team prosecuting the case of alleged murder of a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Mr. Timothy Adegoke, yesterday closed its case against the owner of Hilton Hotels and Resorts in Ile-Ife, Dr. Rahman Adedoyin, and six of his workers who are standing trial at an Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo in connection with Adegoke’s alleged murder. It would be recalled that Adedoyin and his hotel workers are facing trial on 11 count charges, bordering on murder, conspiracy, felony amongst others.

However, at yesterday’s hearing, the Lead Prosecution Counsel, M. O. Omosun, informed the court that the prosecution has closed its case after calling eight witnesses and tendering several evidences to prove the allegations.

Given his testimony in the court, the eighth and final prosecution witness, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr. Samuel Odeh, from Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), informed the court that forensic analysis was done on a curtain swab stick obtained from Room 305 that the deceased lodged before his demise.

Odeh, a forensic scientist and crime scene investigator, said the analysis was to ascertain the substance found on the sample.

When the Presiding Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, asked the defence to open their case, counsels to the seven defendants said they would furnish the court with a no case submission and urged the court to give them two days to file their written no case addresses having gone through all the evidences tendered by the prosecution.

Justice Ojo, however, granted the prayers of the defence counsels and also gave the prosecution two days to file replies to the no case submissions to be filed for each of the accused persons.

Ojo adjourned the case till Friday, March 25, for adoption of written addresses, adding that she may give ruling on the no case submission and prosecution’s replies next week Monday or Tuesday if the submissions are brief.