Court strikes out charges against Hilton hotel owner , others, to be rearraigned in Osun State.
– Steve Ovirih.
Mr. Femi Falana, SAN , has written to the authorities of the Nigeria Police demanding the prosecution of the Hilton Hotel Chairman, Chief Rahmon Adedoyin and some workers of the hotel in Osun State, the appropriate locale of jurisdiction where they were alleged of involvement in the death of Timothy Adegoke.
In the letter addressed to The Inspector General of Police, the erudite lawyer who has been brought in as a counsel of interest by Late Adegoke’s family said it will serve the interest of the law and equity for the matter to be transferred to Osun State where the murder as alleged occured.
Falana stressed that since all the alleged criminal offences were perpetrated at Ife, Osun State, all the suspects should be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction at Ife and not anywhere outside Osun State as this may give rise to question of jurisdiction, an obvious attempt to let the suspects off the hook. He therefore requested the IG to use his good office to ensure that the case file is handed over to the Attorney- General of Osun State to enable him study same with a view to filing relevant charges against the suspects at the High Court of Osun State.
He added for emphasis that as counsel to the deceased, his chamber will not hesitate to institute legal proceedings to compel the police to ensure that the criminal proceedings are instituted pursuant to the criminal code 34 Laws of Osun State.
Meanwhile , Justice Modupe Osho – Adebiyi of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory , Abuja struck out the case involving Chief Rahmon Adedoyin and others over the murder of Timothy Adegoke, a Masters Student of Obafemi Awolowo University ( OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State, who was allegedly murdered and whose dead body was tampered with having lodged at The Hilton Hotel at Ile – Ife, Osun State.
Earlier charges filed against Chief Adedoyin and others before the High Court of the FCT were withdrawn by the police and this invariably led to the striking out of the case by her Lordship.
The Police are to file fresh charges before the Osun State High Court against the suspects.
Among those who are charged with the murder of Timothy Adegoke are Chief Rahmon Adedoyin, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adedeji Adesola, Magdalene Chiefuna, Adebiyi Aderogba, Adebayo Kunle and Lawrence Oluwale. The rest who are at large are Prince Raheem Adedoyin, Qaudri Moshood and Esther Asifo.
When the case file was called on Tuesday before Justice Osho Adebiyi, Police prosecution counsel, Oche Ochogwu announced to the court that the police had filed notice of discontinuation , hence the striking out of the case by Justice Osho.
