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Appeal Court Delivers Final Judgment on Ramon Adedoyin’s Role in OAU Student’s Death

Mary Akanbi

26th January, 2025

The Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State, has upheld the death sentence of Dr. Ramon Adedoyin, a prominent hotel owner, for his involvement in the murder of Timothy Adegoke. 

This decision reaffirms the earlier ruling by the Osun State High Court, which found Adedoyin guilty and sentenced him to death. Timothy Adegoke, a master’s student at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, met his tragic end in November 2021 after lodging at Adedoyin’s Hilton Hotels and Resorts in Ile-Ife.

According to report, Adegoke had traveled from Abuja to Ile-Ife on November 5, 2021, to prepare for his MBA exams scheduled for the next two days at OAU’s Distance Learning Centre in Moro. However, he went missing shortly after checking into the hotel. Following police investigations, his body was discovered buried in a shallow grave, a revelation that shocked the nation.

The appellate court’s judgment stated: “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.” This decision confirms that Adedoyin was lawfully convicted based on the evidence presented during the trial.

However, the appellate court overturned certain aspects of the High Court’s ruling. Specifically, it quashed the order mandating the forfeiture of Hilton Hotel to the state government and set aside the directive requiring Adedoyin to fund the education of Adegoke’s children. The court clarified that its jurisdiction is limited to statutory provisions regarding penalties. As stated in its judgment: “The jurisdiction of the Court is limited to the statutory provisions as to the penalty provided by law. The statutory provision is either the trial court complies with the maximum penalty or the minimum.”

During earlier proceedings, details about Adegoke’s death emerged through testimonies and investigations. A consultant pathologist from Osun State University Teaching Hospital concluded that Adegoke died due to severe hemorrhage caused by traumatic injuries. Police investigations revealed that after Adegoke’s death, some hotel staff wrapped his body in a duvet and transported it in a van driven by Adedoyin’s son to dispose of it in a bush.

The case has drawn widespread attention due to its shocking nature and implications for justice in Nigeria. Fatima Adesina, representing the state government on behalf of Femi Falana SAN, expressed satisfaction with parts of the judgment while acknowledging its limitations. She noted: “By the judgment just delivered today by the Court of Appeal, the Court has upheld the conviction by the Trial Court for those various offenses, especially for conspiracy to kill, unlawful killing, accessory after the fact, and some other offenses.”

The appellate court had reserved its judgment on October 29, 2024, before delivering this verdict on January 23, 2025. For many Nigerians following this case closely, this decision underscores both accountability and limitations within Nigeria’s legal system.

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