The Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State, has upheld the death sentence of Ramon Adedoyin, a well-known businessman and hotel owner, for his role in the murder of Timothy Adegoke, a postgraduate student at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.

In a judgment delivered on Thursday, the appellate court confirmed the decision of the Osun State High Court, which had sentenced Adedoyin to death for Adegoke's murder. The court declared, "The judgment of the High Court of Osun State stands. Adedoyin’s appeal is dismissed in part."

However, the Court of Appeal overturned some aspects of the lower court’s orders. This included the forfeiture of the Hilton Honours Hotel, where the murder took place, as well as the directive for Adedoyin to fund the education of Adegoke’s children. The court ruled that these penalties were beyond its jurisdiction and not supported by law.

Adegoke was found dead in November 2021 at the Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife, days after being reported missing. He had traveled from Abuja to Osun State to attend an examination at a distance learning center in Moro and checked into the hotel on November 5. When he failed to check out or attend his examination, a search was launched, leading to the discovery of his body. Subsequent investigations linked Adedoyin and others to the crime.

In May 2023, the Osun State High Court convicted Adedoyin and his co-accused of murder and conspiracy, sentencing them to death. Adedoyin, dissatisfied with the ruling, appealed the decision in hopes of overturning the conviction and sentence. However, the Court of Appeal reaffirmed the original verdict, upholding both the conviction and the death sentence for Adedoyin.

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