The Osun State Government has reacted to rumours of pardoning Dr Rahman Adedoyin over Timothy Adegoke’s murder, clarifying that it is not aware of any efforts to overturn the convict’s death sentence.
In response to the rumours, Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson for the governor,on Monday in Osogbo described the social media allegation as untrue and reiterating that the state government had no intention of granting Adedoyin clemency.
He said political operatives with bad intentions who are desperate “to blackmail the state governor” are the ones who created the fake news.
The statement noted that Governor Adeleke has never considered—and never will—using the power of mercy—or whatever the report refers to it as—on a case that is now at the court of appeal and has sparked intense interest among local and international audiences.
The statement added that neither the state governor nor his political party has any ulterior objective regarding the murder case in question, other than a desire to advance the good of society by ensuring that those responsible for the heinous conduct face the full force of the law.
The statement added that any attempt to create a connection between the guilty businessman and the governor is insensitive on the part of political rivals and their paid proxies.
Rasheed further asserted that Governor Adeleke did not interfere or intervene in the accusation, hearing, or sentencing of the defendant and that he is neither a friend nor business partner of the owner of Oduduwa University.
Therefore, he asked the general public to disregard the persistent rumours about the convict’s state pardon.
Adegoke, a master’s degree student at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, who had stayed at Adedoyin’s Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife, was discovered dead in November 2021.
Adedoyin and two hotel employees were found guilty of murder in the verdict made on May 31 by Justice Adepele Ojo, the Osun State Chief Judge.
In a ruling that lasted more than two hours, Ojo declared that the evidence presented in the case indicated that Adegoke was killed while a guest at Adedoyin’s hotel.
Adedoyin, the owner of Oduduwa University in Ipetumodu, was given a death by hanging sentence together with the two employees, Adeniyi Aderogba and Oyetunde Kazeem, for the brutal killing of Adegoke.