OAU Student’s Murder: Falana writes IGP, seeks transfer of casefile To Osun State

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has asked the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to hand over to the Attorney General of Osun State, the case file in the murder trial of the late Timothy Adegoke, the postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) killed at Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Falana made the request via a letter dated February 4 and addressed to the IGP with the heading, “Request to Charge Suspects in Timothy Adegoke’s at the Osun State High Court.”

The human rights lawyer, who has been briefed by the Adegoke family to help them get justice in the matter, noted that the police arrested some of the suspects while others, who are currently at large, have been declared wanted.

He further says that, to the dismay of the family, the police arraigned the suspects at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory instead of Ile-Ife where the crimes allegedly occurred.

Falana is therefore seeking the transfer of the case to Osun State so the relevant charges can be filed in the state high court. He warns that the police may face legal action if it fails to accede to his request. He has also indicated that his law firm will handle the matter pro bono (free) on behalf of the Adegoke family.

Timothy, an Abuja-based student, had travelled to Ife on November 5 to take an examination at the school’s distance learning center in Moro, Osun State.

According to the police, a case of a missing person was reported two days later at the Edun Abon Police Station and later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.

His body was subsequently found buried by the hotel management in a shallow grave without the knowledge of his family or the police.

The detail of the letter is below…

4th February 2022

The Inspector-General of Police,

Force Headquarters,

Louis Edet House,

Garki,

Abuja.

REQUEST TO CHARGE SUSPECTS IN TIMOTHY ADEGOKE’S CASE AT THE OSUN STATE HIGH COURT

We are Solicitors to the aged parents of the Late Timothy Adegoke (hereinafter referred to as “our clients”) on whose behalf we write this letter.

Our client’s instructions are briefly summarised and stated as follows:

The son of our clients, Timothy Adegoke, was a 37-year-old Master of Business Administration student at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State.

Timothy had lodged at the Hilton Honours Hotel, Ile Ife on November 6, 2021 while preparing for his examinations in the University. He was abducted in his room later in the night and taken to the bush where he was brutally killed by a group of suspected assassins.

Having killed Timothy in a gruesome manner the assassins mutilated his body and proceed to bury it in an unmarked grave. The police investigation has since exhumed the mutilated body of the deceased.

Based on the complaint of our clients the Nigeria Police Force arrested some of the suspects while others who are currently at large had been declared wanted.

To our utter dismay, the arrested suspects have been arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on a 7- count charge of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, conspiracy to commit improper or indecent interference with the body of the deceased, uttering and intent to destroy evidence under the Penal Code.

However, as all the aforesaid criminal offences were said to have been committed at Ile-Ife you will agree with us that the suspects ought to have been charged before a court of competent jurisdiction in Osun state. Consequently, we are compelled to request you to use your good offices to ensure that the case file is handed over to the Attorney-General of Osun State to enable him to study same with a view to filing relevant charges against the suspects at the High Court of Osun State.

Having demonstrated professionalism and unusual courage in the handling of the investigation of the case we are confident that you will not hesitate to accede to our request in the interest of justice. Otherwise, we shall not hesitate to institute legal proceedings to compel you to ensure that the criminal proceedings are instituted pursuant to the Criminal Code (34) Laws of Osun State.

While awaiting your reply to this letter please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.

Yours faithfully,

FEMI FALANA, SAN, FCI Arb.

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