As controversy continue to trail the burial of late Timothy Adegoke, a Master’s student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Counsel to Dr. Rahmon Adedoyin, the owner of Hilton Hotel and Resort, William Abiodun Esq, has demanded further investigation to unravel those that buried Adegoke when he was allegedly dumped inside the bush by the suspects in police custody.
A copy of the petition dated November 26 and made available to newsmen, Saturday, urged the police to investigate the role of health officials of Ife Central Local Government who were alleged to have buried the deceased after securing a police order.
Noting that the six staffs of the hotel in police custody had sometimes confessed to dumping the deceased in the bush, the counsel said information has emerged that officials of the local government buried the deceased.
The petition reads: “You will recall that some of the suspects in your custody allegedly confessed to dumping the corpse of Late Mr. Timothy Adegoke in the bush, they did not admit to burying him. You will equally recall that during the interview you granted to Rave 97.1 FM Radio on 22nd day of November, 2021 there it was insinuated that some of the suspects confessed to have buried the corpse in the bush at about 2 km to the Hotels at somewhere along Ede Road, Ile-Ife, Osun State. However, there is now a strong rumour, peddled by some people to the effect that that position may not be correct after all.
“From the information flying around in Ile-Ife, there is a strong suggestion that contrary to the claim as aforesaid, it was the officials of the Department of Public Health, Ife Central Local Government, Ile-Ife that buried the deceased having received clearance from the officers of the Nigerian Police of one of the Divisions in Ile-Ife. We could not establish which of the Divisions in Ile-Ife that gave the clearance. However, we are of the view that, if the information is correct, discreet and diligent investigations will establish it.
“If it is established that officers of the Public Health Department of Ife Central Local Government were the ones that actually buried the corpse of Mr. Timothy Adegoke, it may go a long way to assist the Pathologists in their quests to unravel the circumstances that led to the unfortunate death of the young man and the manner his corpse was handled. If nothing is achieved by such important piece of information, it would, at least stop the question: “why did those that buried the corpse of Mr. Timothy Adegoke keep silent all this while and allow an innocent man to be languishing in detention?
“We also gathered from the stories going round in the public domain that the artisans, workers and business owners around the premises where the body of late Timothy Adegoke was initially found reported the case to the police; who in turn cleared the officials of the Department of Public Health, Ife Central Local Government, Ile-Ife to bury the corpse. We heard that activities leading to the burial of the deceased young man was properly recorded on video and pictures taken by the officials.
“We therefore implore you to use your good office to confirm the truth of the information stated here-above for the purpose of truly determining what role each of the suspect and/or anyone or officers of government played in the events that led to the death and burial of Mr. Timothy Adegoke so as to ensure that justice is done above all things.
“We are of the view that if the information relating to the burial of the corpse of the deceased in promptly investigated, it would further establish the innocence of our client.”
