There was confusion at the premises of Osun State High Court, Osogbo on Thursday as the family of murdered master’s student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Timothy Adegoke Thursday clashed with that of Dr Ramon Adedoyin, the owner of Hiltons Hotel, Ile-Ife.

Adedoyin and six others are being prosecuted at the court over the murder of Adegoke.

Some family members of the deceased after the court sitting on Thursday accused the police of being biased.

The police have collected money, they didn’t allow him to talk to even journalists, check my face very well, I said so,

one of them said.

Adegoke had lodged in Hilton Hotels and Resorts at Ile-Ife upon his arrival from Abuja on November 5 to enable him to arrive early for his examination at the OAU Distance Learning Centre, Moro, Osun State, on November 6 and November 7.

He later went missing and was found dead buried in a grave following a police investigation of the hotel owner, Dr Rahman Adedoyin and its workers.

After Adegoke was declared missing, the police were invited and seven suspects were arrested after which investigation commenced.

Later, the Intelligence Response Team, Abuja, took over the investigation and the case was transferred to the Federal Capital Territory.

Upon the conclusion of the investigation, the police charged the accused persons to a high court in Abuja.

Others charged alongside Adedoyin are Adedeji Adesola, 23; Magdalene Chiefuna, 24; Adeniyi Aderogba, 37; Oluwale Lawrence, 37, Oyetunde Kazeem, 38; Adebayo Kunle, 35, and some who have taken to their heels.

However, the family of the victim 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 matter be transferred to Osun State which has jurisdiction on the matter.

Granting Falana’s request, the police notified the court that it was discontinuing the matter.

In anticipation of the crowd that may storm the court to witness the trial in Osun, the main gate of the premises of the High Court in Osogbo was manned by many heavily armed policemen and some plainclothes security men, suspected to be operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.