The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital has upheld the death sentence of a popular hotel owner, Dr Ramon Adedoyin, who was sentenced to death over the murder of an ex-Master’s student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Timothy Adegoke.
It added that the judgement delivered by the Osun State High Court which sentenced Adedoyin to death remains valid, dismissing the appeal brought before it by the convict.
Before the verdict on Thursday, the appeal court had reserved the judgment on October 29, 2024, raising suspicion that the higher court may upturn the lower court’s judgement.
While delivering judgement, the Appellate court stressed that the judgment of the High Court of Osun State on death sentence stands and set aside some part of the ruling.
Aspect of the earlier judgement set aside by the court includes the forfeiture of the Hilton Hotel and the order for Adedoyin to pay for the education of Adegoke’s children.
Furthermore, the court ruled that it had no jurisdiction to impose penalties outside the statutory provisions of the law.
Adegoke’s death was reported in November 2021 after his corpse was found at the Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife, Osun State, where he had lodged.
The hotelier had travelled from Abuja for an examination at a distance learning centre in Moro, Osun State on November 5 of that year.
He had checked into the hotel but was reported missing after two days. However, Adegoke’s body was found days later, leading to a probe that linked his death to Adedoyin and others.
In May 2023, Adedoyin and others were sentenced to death after they were found guilty of murder and conspiracy to murder.
But dissatisfied with the judgement, Adedoyin approached the appeal court to dismiss the sentence and conviction.
