A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Gudu has struck out the charges filed in connection with the alleged murder of one Timothy Adegoke.
Adegoke was until his death a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi struck out the suit on Tuesday following an application by the prosecuting counsel, Ochugwu Ogbe, seeking to discontinue the case.
Ogbe informed the court that the withdrawal of the suit was necessitated by the need for further investigations into the case, saying some “new facts” have been found.
“Take notice that the complainant discontinues all the proceedings in the case against the defendants for further investigation,” part of the prosecution’s court filing read.
The decision by the police to withdraw the charges came on the heels of the request by the lawyer to Adegoke’s family, Femi Falana, seeking the transfer of the case to Ile-Ife, where the alleged offences were said to have been committed.
“Since the prosecutor has applied for a discontinuance of the case and the defendants are not opposing the application, I hereby strick out the case,” Justice Osho-Adebiyi ruled.
The ruling may have come as a temporary relief for the seven defendants in the suit, including Rahmon Adedoyin who owns the facility where Adegoke was reportedly murdered.
It is, however, not immediately clear if the police would release the defendants during the period of further investigations.
Mr Adegoke was said to have been murdered in November last year at the Hilton Honour Hotel and Resorts in Ile-Ife, ahead of his scheduled examination at the OAU Distance Learning Centre, Moro campus.
He was declared missing on November 7 before his body was discovered after some suspects, including workers at the hotel, were arrested by the police for questioning.
In January, the police filed a suit over Adegoke’s death, listing the owner of the hotel and six others as defendants.
Adedoyin was charged with an attempted felony, conspiracy, unlawful interference with Adegoke’s corpse, and tampering with the hotel’s receipt and CCTV camera, with the intent to destroy evidence that would prove that the victim visited the hotel.
Others charged alongside him were Adedeji Adesola, Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwale Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle, and others at large.
Those still at large are Prince Rahim Adedoyin, Esther Asifo, and Quadiri Moshood.
