The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, on Tuesday dismissed the case of alleged murder of Timothy Adegoke, a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State.
Mr Adegoke died in November 2021 at Hilton Hotel and Resorts in Ile Ife. He was allegedly buried by the management without the notice of the police and his family.
The dismissal by judge Modupe Osho-Adebiyi followed an application for discontinuance of the case filed by prosecuting counsel, Ochogwu Ogbe.
Mr Ogbe said the withdrawal of the case was necessitated by the need for further investigation as “new facts” have emerged.
The defendants in the case include the hotelier Ramon Adedoyin, Adedeji Adesola, 23; Magdalene Chiefuna, 24; Adeniyi Aderogba, 37; Oluwale Lawrence, 37, Oyetunde Kazeem, 38; Adebayo Kunle, 35, and others at large.
It was not immediately clear if the police would release the defendants during the period of further investigation.
The decision by the police to withdraw the charges came on the heels of the request by the Adegoke family lawyer, Femi Falana’s request for the case to be transferred to Ile Ife in Osun State, where the alleged offences were said to have been committed.