The Nigeria Police Force has withdrawn the murder charge made against the owner of Hilton Honour Hotel, Ile-Ife, Rahmon Adedoyin and six others over the death of Timothy Adegoke, an OAU MBA student who was allegedly murdered at the hotel on November 6, 2021.
According to the PUNCH, “The police told an Abuja High Court on Monday that the Force wished to discontinue all proceedings in the murder case for further investigation.
It would be recalled that the police had moved Adedoyin and the six others from Osun State to Abuja for investigation and prosecution.
According to the case summary and proof of evidence earlier filed by the police, Adedoyin is being charged with illegally disposing of Adegoke’s body, altering and cancelling his payment receipt and removal of the hotel’s CCTV cameras with intent to destroy evidence.
However, in a Notice of Discontinuation of Charge No.CR/015/2022 brought pursuant to Section 108 of Administration of Criminal Act 2015’, on February 7, 2022, the police told the court to discontinue the matter.
“Take notice that the complainant discontinue all of the proceedings in this case against the above named defendants for further investigation,” said Ochogwu Ogbeh of the Legal and Prosecution Section of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja.”
The newspaper further said one of the counsels for the defendants, Yusuf Alli (SAN), also confirmed the development on Tuesday.
However, in a swift twist of the event, newsmen gathered that the Nigeria Police Force is set to re-arraign Adedoyin and six others over the murder of Timothy Adegoke, a student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife Osun State.
This comes after Justice Module Adebiyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, struck out the case against Adegoke and others on Tuesday, following an application for notice of discontinuance’ of the case in pursuant to Section 108 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act ( ACJA) 2015 by the Police lawyer who is also the prosecution, Ochogwu Ogbeh.
The family of the victim had earlier hired human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), to take over the case. Falana subsequently wrote a letter to the Inspector-General of Police, requesting that the case be transferred to Osun State which has jurisdiction on it.
Granting Falana’s request, the police notified the court that it was discontinuing the matter in a letter, titled, “Notice of Discontinuance of Charge No. CR/015/22 Brought Pursuant to Section 108 of Administration of Criminal Act (ACJA) 2015.”
The judge struck out the case, enabling the police the power to file fresh charges.
Others charged with Adedoyin are Adedeji Adesola, 23; Magdalene Chiefuna, 24; Adeniyi Aderogba, 37; Oluwale Lawrence, 37; Oyetunde Kazeem, 38; Adebayo Kunle, 35, and others still at large.”