The Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State, has upheld the death sentence of Ramon Adedoyin, a prominent hotelier, for his role in the murder of Timothy Adegoke, a former postgraduate student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.
In its judgment on Thursday, the court reaffirmed the earlier ruling by the Osun State High Court, which had sentenced Adedoyin to death.
“The judgment of the High Court of Osun State stands. Adedoyin’s appeal is dismissed in part,” the court stated.
However, the Appeal Court set aside certain parts of the lower court’s decision, including the forfeiture of the Hilton Hotel and the order for Adedoyin to fund Adegoke’s children’s education. It also ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to impose penalties beyond statutory provisions.
Timothy Adegoke’s body was found in November 2021 at the Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife, Osun State, where he had been staying for an exam at a distance learning center in Moro, Osun State. Adegoke had checked in on November 5 but went missing two days later. His body was discovered shortly thereafter, leading to an investigation that implicated Adedoyin and others.
In May 2023, Adedoyin and others were sentenced to death after being convicted of murder and conspiracy. Unsatisfied with the judgment, Adedoyin appealed the decision. However, the Court of Appeal upheld the death sentence and conviction on Thursday.
