OAU student’s murder trial: Osun government grants Falana fiat to take over prosecution
The law chamber of human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Femi Falana, has secured fiat from Osun State Government to prosecute all the seven defendants arraigned for alleged murder of a Postgraduate student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Timothy Adegoke, at Hilton Hotel in Ile-Ife.
The hotel owner, Dr. Ramon Adedoyin and six members of his staff namely; Adedeji Adesola, Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwale Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, and Adebayo Kunle, were arraigned on 11-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, altering of receipt and administration of extrajudicial oath among others.
The permission was contained in a statement signed by the Osun State Attorney-General & Commissioner of Justice, Oluwafemi Akande, entitled: “Re: Justice for Timothy, Mr. Governor over to you: Osun State Government Position on State of Prosecution in HOS/5C/2022 The State vs Dr. Rahmon Adedoyin & others”.
The statement posted by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ismail Omipidan, on his Facebook page, disclosed that Falana, upon request by him and the family of the deceased, had been given permission to prosecute the matter.
The statement further explained that on April 1, 2022, Femi Falana, applied to the Office of Osun State Attorney General for fiat to take over the prosecution of the case.
It added that, thereafter, the deceased’s family wrote a separate letter to the Attorney General, requesting that Falana’s Chamber be allowed to prosecute the matter.
It further reads: “The alleged case of murder was first investigated by Osun State Police Command, but was later taken over by the IGP Office in Abuja.
“After the investigation, the Police filed a criminal charge against the suspects in Abuja. The case was later moved to Osogbo.
“While the Police Prosecutors were prosecuting the case, the deceased family’s counsel, Falana held a watching brief for the family.
“On April 1, 2022, Femi Falana, applied to the Office of the Hon. Attorney General for fiat to take over the prosecution of the case.”
Thereafter, the deceased’s family wrote a letter to the Attorney General requesting for the Chambers of Femi Falana to be allowed to prosecute the matter.
“The learned silk’s letter and that of the family were immediately processed and the fiat requested for has since been granted. The Office of Chief Femi Falana had already collected the letter conveying the fiat of the Attorney General to the learned silk.
“The position as of today, in law, is that the office of Femi Falana SAN is in full charge of the prosecution of the case.”
MEANWHILE, further hearing on the matter has been adjourned by the trial judge, Adepele Ojo of Osun State High Court 1, Osogbo till April 25. The judge had earlier dismissed a no-case submission filed by the defence counsel on behalf of their clients.
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