Justice Adepele Ojo, who delivered the ruling, said Adedoyin should be brought to court to stand trial, in spite of the time constraints in the case being heard.
By Jeffrey Agbo
An Osun High Court in Osogbo has ordered that hotelier Raheem Adedoyin, alleged to have murdered a student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Timothy Adegoke, should be brought to court on November 7.
Adedoyin, owner of Hilton Hotels, Ile-Ife where Adegoke is alleged to have died, is standing trial alongside six of his staff: Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Florence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle and Adedeji Adesola.
Justice Adepele Ojo, who delivered the ruling, said Adedoyin should be brought to court to stand trial, in spite of the time constraints in the case being heard.
Ojo said she would either grant some defendants bail and allow Adedoyin to face the murder case or transfer the case file if the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) refused to bring him.
The judge decried the time wasted in concluding the case on account of Adedoyin’s absence in court on two occasions, reportedly on health grounds.
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She urged the NCS to ensure the presence of the defendant on the next date of adjournment, adding that his presence for trial had become sacrosanct.
She also demanded that a medical report on Adedoyin’s ill health be brought to court on the next date of adjournment.
Ojo adjourned the case to November 7 to ensure the presence of the defendant in court.
Earlier, the Plaintiff’s Counsel, Fatima Adesina, told the court that she learnt the defendant was sick and could not come to stand his trial.
Adesina had prayed the court to take judicial note of the absence of the defendant, (Adedoyin), on several occasions.
The defendants have since pleaded not guilty to the 11-count charge of conspiracy, murder, attempted felony, unlawful interference with a dead body, altering and intent to destroy evidence.
