*Senior Advocate gets permission to take over prosecution of Adedoyin, others
Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola has granted a legal fiat to a senior lawyer and human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), asking him to take over the prosecution suspects, following the death of Mr Timothy Adegoke, an MBA student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Falana had earlier applied for the legal fiat, seeking the permission of Governor Oyetola to take over the prosecution of the case, since the celebrated murder trial is a state matter.
Adegoke was allegedly killed in November 2021 at the Hilton Hotel and Resorts, Ile Ife, Osun State, while the hotel belongs to Dr. Rahmon Adedoyin.
Incidentally, Adedoyin and six of his hotel workers including Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle and Adesola Adedeji are standing trial before the Chief Judge of Osun State High Court in Osogbo over Adegoke’s murder trial.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Oyetola, the Osun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Oluwafemi Akande, stated that the Chambers of Mr Femi Falana, SAN, had applied for the legal fiat to take over the prosecution.
The Osun AG also disclosed in a statement made available on Sunday that the family of the deceased also wrote to his office, asking the state government to allow Falana to take over the prosecution.
Akande further stated Falana’s request has been granted.
The statement reads in part, “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 criminal charge against the suspects in Abuja.
“The case was later moved to Osogbo by the Nigeria Police.
“While the Police Prosecutors were prosecuting the case, the deceased family’s Counsel, Falana and Falana & Co, watched brief for the victim and witnessed the proceedings.
“On April 1, 2022, Femi Falana, SAN, 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 (SAN) to be allowed to prosecute the matter.
“The learned silk letter and that of the family were immediately processed and the fiat requested for has since been granted.
“The Office of Mr Femi Falana (SAN) had already collected the letter conveying the fiat of the Attorney General to the learned silk.
“The position as at today, in law, is that the office of Mr Femi Falana (SAN) is in full charge of the prosecution of the case”.
