Adegoke’s murder: Adeleke denies alleged plans to pardon Adedoyin

The governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has denied social media rumors that he is attempting to overturn Dr. Rahmon Adedoyin’s death sentence for the murder of master’s student Timothy Adegoke at Obafemi Awolowo University.

Recall that Adegoke was discovered dead at Adedoyin’s Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife in November 2021 after having been there.

Adedoyin and two hotel employees were found guilty of murder by Osun State’s Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, in a decision on May 31.

In a ruling that lasted more than two hours, Ojo declared that the circumstantial evidence in the case indicated that Adegoke was killed while a guest at Adedoyin’s hotel.

Reacting to the allegation, the spokesperson for the governor, Olawale Rasheed, in a press statement made available to The PUNCH on Monday, affirmed that there is no plan to pardon the proprietor of the Oduduwa University.

The statement read, “Reacting to the growing rumour of possible state pardon for the businessman, Governor Adeleke was quoted as noting that his administration never has and will never intervene in the judicial process, labelling those behind the fake news as public enemies.

“Those who concocted the fake news are evil-minded political operatives who are merely grasping at straws in their desperation to blackmail the state Governor.

“Governor Adeleke has not and will never contemplate exercising the prerogative of mercy or whatever the report calls it, on a matter under adjudication which has generated deep interest among local and global communities.

Adeleke noted that he has no hidden plot on the said murder other than the public interest agenda to see culprits in the dastardly act face the full wrath of the law, adding, “No PDP member is involved as counsel for any of the convicted individuals and the state judiciary must enjoy and exercise its full independence in the hearing and judgement of cases.

He further said, “It is uncharitable for political enemies and their paid agents to attempt any linkage between the convicted businessman and me.

We affirm with all sense of responsibility that Governor Adeleke is not at any material time a friend or partner of the owner of Oduduwa University and did not interfere, intervene or manifest any untoward agenda in the arraignment, hearing and sentencing of the accused.

He, therefore, urged the members of the public to ignore the repeated rumours of state pardon for the convict.