Adegoke’s murder: Adeleke denies pardoning Adedoyin

Ademola Adeleke, the governor of Osun State, has denied social media rumours that he is attempting to have Dr. Rahmon Adedoyin, who killed master student Timothy Adegoke of Obafemi Awolowo University, spared the death penalty.

At Adedoyin’s Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife, where Adegoke had stayed, he (the deceased) was discovered dead in November 2021.

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 lengthy ruling that lasted more than two hours, Ojo determined that the circumstantial evidence pointed to Adegoke’s murder while he was a guest at Adedoyin’s hotel.

In response to the claim, the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, stated in a press release made available on Monday that there is no intention to pardon the owner of the Oduduwa University.

The statement said, “Reacting to the spreading rumour of a potential state pardon for the businessman, Governor Adeleke was quoted as noting that his administration never has and never will intervene in the judicial process, branding those behind the false news as public enemies.

“Evil-minded political operatives who are desperate to blackmail the state governor are the ones who created the fake news. They are only grasping at straws.

“Governor Adeleke has never considered—and never will—using the prerogative of mercy, or whatever the report refers to it as—on a case that is currently being adjudicated and that has sparked intense interest among local and international communities.

Adeleke stated that he has no ulterior motive for the aforementioned murder other than the public interest agenda to see those responsible for the heinous act receive the full force of the law. He continued, “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 ruling of cases.

It is uncharitable for political rivals and their paid agents to make any claims about the convicted businessman and me, he continued.

We declare unequivocally that Governor Adeleke was not, at any relevant time, a friend or business partner of the founder of Oduduwa University and that he did not interfere, intervene, or show any improper motive during the accused’s arraignment, hearing, or sentencing.

Therefore, he urged the general public to disregard the persistent rumours that the state would pardon the convict.