Timothy Adegoke Story
The story is that one Master’s degree student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Mr. Timothy Adegoke, had lodged in Hilton Hotels and Resorts at Ile-Ife, upon his arrival from Abuja on November 5, to enable him arrive early for his examination at the OAU Distance Learning Centre, Moro, Osun State, on November 6 and November 7. The hotel is owned by Prince Adedoyin.
Somehow, that was the last that was heard of him alive. His wife that he had told on November 5 that he had arrived his hotel tried reaching him the next day on phone but there was no response, as the phone only kept ringing all day. She contacted the relations who also got in touch with the OAU authorities that told them that Adegoke did not take the Master of Business Administration (MBA) examination that he came for.
The police were then invited, and, in the course of investigations, it was discovered that Adegoke paid N37,000 (his hotel bill for two nights) into the account of one Adedeji Tobiloba Adesola, a female member of the staff of the hotel. Despite the fact that the hotel had been his choice hotel, as he had stayed there for his examinations previously (i.e. from October 22 to 24; and October 29 to October 31), the hotel management and founder allegedly denied that Adegoke lodged at the hotel for the November 6 examination.
However, Adesola was eventually apprehended and she confessed to have allocated Room 305 of the hotel to Adegoke on November 5. Her confession reportedly led to the arrest of six other suspects, including an Alfa, and Prince Adedoyin himself. The story is obviously longer. Indeed, it is as intriguing as it is incredible.
Suffice it to add that Adegoke was killed and his corpse buried. Where was he killed? Who killed him? And from where was his corpse exhumed? Even if they could not answer the first two questions, the police should have told us where the corpse was exhumed. Rather, it was the victim’s relations that witnessed the exhumation who gave us graphic details of it. They said he was buried near the hotel and wrapped with one of the hotel’s clothes. They added that his throat was slit and something taken away from the body.
Mr. Adeniyi Aderogba, the Manager of Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife on Thursday described how the body of Timothy Adegoke was dumped in the bush on Ile-Ife-Ede Road. Aderogba said it happened between 11 pm and 12 midnight on November 7, 2021.
Adegoke, a postgraduate student of Obafemi Awolowo University, went missing after lodging at Hilton Hotel in November 2021. After his family raised the alarm, the police began an investigation, which led to the arrest of the owner of the hotel, Ramon Adedoyin and six employees. The Managing Director of the hotel, Raheem Adedoyin, is, however, on the run.
Aderogba, who is the 3rd defendant, was led in evidence by his counsel, Roland Otaru (SAN). He said that Raheem Adedoyin informed him that he had reported the death of Timothy Adegoke to the police and that the police instructed them to take the body to the mortuary. He also said that he, Raheem Adedoyin, and Kazeem Oyetunde carried the lifeless body of Adegoke from Room 305 into a Hilux vehicle and that Raheem drove them to Ede Road, where they dumped the body together with the late Adegoke’s laptop, mobile phone and bag. But under cross-examination, Mr. M. O. Omosun who held the brief of Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) for the prosecution, asked Aderogba if the place where Adegoke’s body was dumped looked like a mortuary. He replied in the negative.
Aderogba who said that he confirmed that Adegoke was dead was asked whether he called a doctor to confirm the death. He replied in the negative. He also said that he did not report the death of Adegoke to the police. He however admitted that he called Dr Ramon Adedoyin (owner of the hotel) to inform him about the death of Adegoke.
Timothy Adegoke CCTV
Mr. Omosun further asked him if he found blood coming out of the nose of the deceased when he examined the body. When he denied seeing that, the lawyer made him read his statement to the police where he said that when he visited Room 305, he saw Adegoke’s body with blood coming out of his nose. Under cross-examination, Aderogba also admitted that the CCTV in the hotel was disconnected by Raheem Adedoyin after the death of Adegoke.
Aderogba was asked whether the key to Room 305 is electronic or manual, he said it was manual. Mr. Omosun asked him to state how possible it was to use a spare key from the outside to open the door that had been locked from the inside. At that stage, he said, “I don’t know.”
Aderogba said that the mattress in Room 305 was removed to dry it. But his attention was drawn to his statement where he had written that “we carry (sic) mattress from the room and burnt it.”
Another defendant, Oyerinde Kazeem, who also gave evidence for himself admitted that he was involved in the evacuation and dumping of the body of Adegoke in the bush. Kazeem, who had given the impression that it was Raheem alone that carried the body of Adegoke from Room 305 to the vehicle admitted that “we dumped the body in the bush on Ede Road”.
A receptionist at the hotel, Magdalena Chiefuna, told the court that the management of the hotel asked all staff members to delete pictures taken on their phones after the body of the deceased was found.
Chiefuna said the staff members of the hotel were made to swear an oath not to disclose what happened regarding Adegoke’s death. She also told the Osun State High Court on Wednesday that no doctor was called and that the police were not notified about the discovery of the body of the deceased.
Timothy Adegoke Biography, Wife, Age
Timothy Adegoke, a master’s student at the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, was allegedly killed inside Hilton Hotels and Resorts.
Bola Adegoke, the widow of Timothy Adegoke, the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) MBA student found dead in Osun State, has said her late husband was planning to relocate his family abroad over rising insecurity in Nigeria.
Bola said the untimely death of Timothy prevented him from fulfilling his dreams.
“He said he would relocate me, his children and his parents abroad while he would remain in the country,” she told FIJ. “His parents sent him to school from the proceeds of farming, and he stopped them from going to the farm.”
The mother of three children suggested that Rahmon Adedoyin, the owner of the hotel where Timothy was killed and prime suspect in the murder, could have been transferred to the police headquarters in Abuja because he was given preferential treatment in the Osun State Police Command’s custody.
Timothy Adegoke & Rahman Adedoyin Case update
Where is adedoyin now? Rahmon Adedoyin was arrested in November 2021 following the death of Adegoke Timothy at his Hilton Hotel which he is the founder. He was denied bail but granted access to medical facilities of his choice pending court hearing. On 30th May 2023, Court found Rahmon guilty of murder and sentenced him to death by hanging.
