Defence to file no case submission as prosecution closes argument in Adegoke’s murder trial

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Prosecution has closed its case in the trial of Dr. Rahman Adedoyin and six of his workers over the murder of Timothy Adegoke, the MBA student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), who allegedly died at Hilton Royal Hotel, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Adedoyin, who owns Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and six of his workers; Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle and Adedeji Adesola are facing trial on eleven-count charges, bordering on murder, conspiracy, felony amongst others at an Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo.

The lead prosecution counsel, M. O. Omosun, informed the court that the prosecution has closed its case after calling eight witnesses and tendering several evidences to prove the allegations.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, the prosecution led in evidence a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Samuel Odeh of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Forensic Lab.

Odeh, a forensic scientist, crime scene investigator and analyst said he received a letter of request from the IPO seeking an analysis to be done on a sample.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Benedict Agbo under whom he works, minuted to the letter for the analysis to be carried out.

The request, according to him, was “to identify the substance on the curtain swab stick and it was done and a report was issued to that effect.”

He told the court that Mr. Agbo was unavoidably absent on official assignment in Ghana and could not appear in court.

The prosecution counsel then tendered the result of the analysis in exhibit and was marked and admitted in evidence by the court.

All the defence counsels, Yusuf Ali, SAN, Kehinde Eleja, SAN, Muritala Absulrasheed, SAN and Okon Italian, objected to the admissibility of the report by the court.

The prosecutor informed the court that a staff of UBA was served summon to appear in court to give evidence but the staff was absent. He therefore closed the case.

When the presiding judge, Justice Adepele Ojo asked counsels to the seven defendants to open their case, they informed that they would furnish the court with a no case submission.

Counsel to Adedoyin, the first defendant, Yusuf Alli, counsel to the second, fourth and fifth defendants, Muritala Abdulrasheed, the third and sixth defendants’ counsel, Ronald Otaru, and counsel to the seventh defendant,

Okon Edet, urged the court to give them two days to file their written no case addresses having gone through all the evidences tendered by the prosecution.

“We have followed with rapt attention, and the evidence tendered so far in this matter, we believe that this is a case we should do a no case submission. We therefore pray your lordship to give us 48 hours to file our no case submission,” Alli said as other counsels also applied for same two days to file their no case addresses.

Justice Ojo granted the prayers of the defence counsels and also gave the prosecution two days to file replies to the no case submissions to be filed for each of the accused persons.

Ojo adjourned till Friday, March 25, for the adoption of the written addresses.

She said that she may give ruling on the no case submission and prosecution’s replies next week Monday or Tuesday if the submissions are brief.