The Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State, has upheld the death sentence handed down to Rahmon Adedoyin for his involvement in the killing of Timothy Adegoke, a Master’s student at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State. The court ruled that Adedoyin’s conviction by the Osun State High Court in Osogbo was valid.
Timothy Adegoke, a chartered accountant and postgraduate student, met his tragic end in Adedoyin’s hotel in Ile-Ife, where he had traveled to sit for his MBA examinations. The case, which has drawn widespread attention, stemmed from allegations of conspiracy and unlawful killing, with Adedoyin and others implicated in Adegoke’s death.
While the appellate court upheld the conviction, it overturned part of the lower court’s ruling concerning the forfeiture of Adedoyin’s property to the state government. The High Court had earlier directed that Adedoyin’s assets be seized and sold to fund the education of Adegoke’s children.
However, the Court of Appeal nullified this aspect of the judgment, stating that such an order was unnecessary since the convict was already mandated to provide for the deceased’s children’s education.
Fatima Adesina, representing the respondent on behalf of renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana SAN, commented on the ruling shortly after the judgment was delivered.
She stated, “By the judgment just delivered now 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.
“However, the Court quashed certain aspects of the decision of the trial Court, especially the decision that relates to the order of the Trial Court mandating the respondent, the convicts, to be responsible for the education of the children of the deceased Timothy Adegoke.
