BREAKING: Court Sentences Receptionist To 2 Years In Prison Over Adegoke’s Murder
Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo has sentenced Miss Adedeji Adesola, the receptionist that received the late Timothy Adegoke when he lodged at the Hilton Hotels, Ile-Ife on November 6, 2021, to two years imprisonment.
The court sentenced the receptionist for altering the receipt issued to the deceased.
The receptionist was said to have fabricated another receipt for the purpose of concealing traces of Adegoke’s lodgement at the hotel.
Justice Adepele Ojo, the presiding judge, on Tuesday, found Adesola guilty of doctoring the hotel receipt issued to the deceased, fabricating another and concealing evidence.
During Tuesday’s sitting, the judge pronounced her guilty of conspiracy to fabricate evidence and conceal the fact that the deceased lodged at the facility before he died.
Justice Ojo in her judgement on Wednesday said she took notice of the pleas for leniency for the defendant and the provision of Section 411 of the Constitution.
“I am equally mindful of the circumstances surrounding the case of the 7th defendant. I am not unmindful of the provisions of the Section 411 2(b) of the law. I hereby sentence you Adedeji Adesola to 2 years imprisonment starting from the first day of your arrest,” the judge said.
The Judge said the two years should start counting from the first day she was detained over the crime.
Popular hotel owner, Dr Ramon Adedoyin had been sentenced to death by hanging over the death of Timothy Adegoke, a master’s student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, whose death occurred between November 5 and 7, 2021 at his hotel in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Adegoke’s death has been seen as a case of murder by the state.
Six workers of the hotel and its Chairman, Dr Adedoyin, the Maye of Ile-Ife, were arrested and arraigned in relation to the alleged murder case.
The six workers are Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle and Adedeji Adesola, and they were slammed with 18 counts of conspiracy, murder, felony, indecent interference of the corpse, alteration, and cancellation of receipt and oath-taking to prevent justice.
Justice Ojo found Adedoyin guilty while delivering her judgement on the case on Tuesday.
The court held that the circumstantial evidence available to the court, pointed to the killing of Adegoke while being a guest at the hotel owned by Adedoyin.
According to her, Adedoyin’s decision not to enter the witness box did not help him, as the circumstantial evidence had shifted the burden of proof on him.
