Justice Adepele Ojo of an Osun State High Court has fixed Wednesday, March 30, for ruling on the no-case submission filed by the owner of Hiltons Hotel Ile-Ife, Dr Ramon Adedoyin, and six of his workers, who were arraigned in connection with the death of OAU Master’s student, Timothy Adegoke.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Friday, prosecution and defence counsel adopted their final written addresses in favour and against the no-case submission already filed by all the defendants.
In his submission, Yusuf Ali, SAN, who is the counsel to the 1st defendant, Adedoyin, said the prosecution failed to bring before the court legally admissible evidence to prove any of the five charges pressed against his client.
According to him, all the eight witnesses called by the prosecution did not give any evidence admissible in law to connect Adedoyin to any of the offences he was charged for.
Ali also said regardless of the opinion expressed on social media regarding the matter, the court would have to decide the case based on facts before it and not on suspicion.
Counsel to the second, fourth, and fifth defendants, Muritala Abudlrosheed, SAN, while addressing the court, also said his clients did not have any interaction with the deceased until he was discovered dead.
He further submitted that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case linking the three defendants to the death of the deceased.
In their separate, but similar submissions, counsel to third and sixth defendants, and that of the seventh defendant respectively, Rowland Otaru, SAN and Okon Ita, adopted and relied on the written addresses of no-case submission filed for their clients.
But responding to the no-case submission for Adedoyin, prosecution counsel, Omosun, said he had established a prima facie case against the hotel owner.
Omosun insisted that no matter how to light evidence linking an accused to a charge, he or she ought to enter defence and explain roles played before the court.
He also adopted a reply to the no-case submission of second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh defendants already filed before the court and urged it to dismiss the plea by them.
Justice Ojo subsequently adjourned the matter to Wednesday, March 30, for the ruling.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
