From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN, has been given the power to take over the prosecution of murder case involving the owner of Hilton Hotel and Resort, Ile-Ife, Dr Rahmon Adedoyin, and six members of staff of the hotel, over the alleged murder of Timothy Adegoke, a Master student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).
The Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in Osun State, Olufemi Akande, granted the prayer of Falana who had written the state government on April 1, to allow him continue with the prosecution.
Akande, in a statement obtained by Daily Sun, yesterday, said the letter of request by the chamber of Falana and Falana & Co, and a subsequent letter written by the family of the deceased, necessitated the power given to the lawyer to take over the protection from the police.
“On 1st April, 2022, Femi Falana, SAN, applied to the office of the Hon. Attorney General for fiat to take over the prosecution of the case.
“Thereafter, the deceased’s family wrote a letter to the Attorney General requesting the Chambers of Femi Falana SAN to be allowed to prosecute the matter.
“The learned silk’s letter and that of the family were immediately processed and the fiat requested for has since been granted.
“The office of Chief Femi Falana SAN had already collected the letter conveying the fiat of the Attorney General to the learned silk.
“The position as of today, in law, is that the office of Chief Femi Falana SAN is in full charge of the prosecution of the case,” the letter added.
The hotelier, Adedoyin, Magdalene Chiefuna (24), Adeniyi Aderogba (37), Oluwale Lawrence (37), Oyetunde Kazeem (38), Adebayo Kunle (35) and Adedeji Adesola (23), were arraigned on March 3, on 11 count charges bothering on conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful killing of Timothy Adegoke, conspiracy to commit a felony, dumping of the body of Adegoke, conspiracy to improperly and indecently interfere with the body of Adegoke, conspiracy to alter receipt, altering and cancelling of receipt and administering of extra-judicial oath in connection with the killings.
At the last sitting on March 30, the Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Oyebola Adepele Ojo, had adjourned the matter to April 25, for the defendants to open their case having dismissed their no-case submission.