A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Gudu, in Apo, Abuja, has struck out the case of the alleged murder of Timothy Adegoke, a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State.
The judge, Modupe Osho-Adebiyi, issued the order striking out the charges in connection to his death after the prosecuting counsel, Ochogwu Ogbe, moved an application for discontinuance of the case.
Mr Ogbe, representing the police prosecuting team, said the withdrawal is to further investigations on the case.
The lawyer said this was in view of some “new facts” found concerning the case.
The ruling came as a temporary reprieve for the seven defendants, including Rahmon Adedoyin, the owner of Hilton Honour Hotel and Resorts, Ile Ife, where Mr Adegoke was reportedly murdered in November, 2021.
It is not however clear if the police will release the defendants during the period of further investigations.
The decision by the police to withdraw the charges came on the heels of the request by the Adegoke family lawyer, Femi Falana for the case to be transferred to Ile Ife in Osun State, where the alleged offences were said to have been committed.
Mr Adedoyin was charged with an attempted felony, conspiracy, unlawful interference with Adegoke’s corpse, and tampering with the hotel’s receipt and CCTV camera, with the intent to destroy evidence that would prove that Mr Adegoke visited the hotel.
Others charged alongside Mr Adedoyin are: Adedeji Adesola, 23; Magdalene Chiefuna, 24; Adeniyi Aderogba, 37; Oluwale Lawrence, 37, Oyetunde Kazeem, 38; Adebayo Kunle, 35, and others at large.
Those at large were Prince Rahim Adedoyin, Esther Asifo and Quadiri Moshood.
