Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer and counsel to the family of Timothy Oludare Adegoke, the MBA student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, who died under questionable circumstances at Hilton Hotel, has requested the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba Ahmed, to charge the suspects in an Osun State High Court.
Falana, who made this known in a letter dated February 4, 2022, and addressed to the police chief, disclosed that the change was in accordance with the instructions of the Adegoke family.
Falana stressed that since the crime was committed in Ile-Ife, the suspects should have been charged before a court of competent jurisdiction in Osun State.
He requested the Police IG to transfer the case to the Osun State Attorney General so as to enable relevant charges to the filed against the suspects in the state high court.
Falana also warned that failure to accede with the request would warrant the Adegoke family to institute legal proceedings against the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that criminal proceedings are instituted pursuant to the Criminal Code 34, Laws of Osun State.
Though Adegoke’s death was initially denied by the management of the hotel, Dr Rahman Adedoyin, the chairman of Hilton Hotel and some staff members were however arrested and slammed with a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit murder, murder, indecent interference with the body of the deceased, altering and intent to destroy evidence under the Penal Code.
The deceased has since been laid to rest.
