The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Chief Ramon Adedoyin against the death sentence passed on him by an Osun State High Court.
Chief Adedoyin was found guilty and sentenced to death over the death Mr. Timothy Adegoke, a student of the Obafemi Awolowo University.
Adegoke was allegedly killed inside the Hilton hotels owned by Adedoyin on November 5th, 2021.
Justice Adepele Ojo had sentenced Adedoyin and two members of his staff, Adeniyi Aderogba and Oyetunde Kazeem, to death by hanging.
The lower court had held that Adedoyin’s decision not to enter the witness box meant he agreed to the murder charge pressed against him by the prosecution.
At the hearing on Tuesday, Counsel to the respondents, Mr Femi Falana, urged the court to adopt his brief of argument and dismiss the appeal of the appellants.
Falana said: “There is no doubt in the appellant’s involvement in the death of Adegoke. After the incident, Adedoyin assembled some of his staff to take the oath of secrecy, he took the said vehicle used to convey the deceased to his house in Abuja and he instructed his staff to cover up the entire circumstances surrounding the gruesome murder of the deceased. “
Adedoyin’s counsel, Mr Kehinde Eleja, who prayed the court to allow the appeal, said there was no evidence was given to support the conviction.
Eleja said: “The appellant did not make any confessional statement during the trial, he did not call any witnesses because nothing was said against him. There was doubt in Adedoyin’s appearance in the hotel a day before the said occurrence.”
The three-man panel led by Justice Olufemi Akeju, however reserved judgment to a date to be communicated to all parties. (Nation)