The 7th defendant and receptionist at Hilton Hotel in Ile-Ife, Adesola Adedeji said Ramon Adedoyin, the owner of the hotel asked her to deny that late Timothy Adegoke lodged in the facility.
Recall Adedoyin and 6 staff are standing trial for the alleged murder of Timothy Adegoke, a postgraduate student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), who was found dead in November last year — few days after he lodged in the hotel.
The defendants had earlier pleaded not guilty to 11-count charges bordering on conspiracy, murder, attempted felony, unlawful interference with a dead body, altering, and intent to destroy evidence.
The receptionist, who is among the defendants, stated this on Monday when the trial resumed at the Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo.
During the cross-examination by Femi Falana SAN, the prosecuting counsel, Adedeji said Adedoyin came to the hotel around 8 pm on the day Adegoke checked in, to check on the welfare of his employees while his son came around 10 pm the same day and did not know when they left.
She added that the owner of the hotel, Dr Rahman Adedoyin and his son, Raheem, were in the hotel the night the deceased lodged in the hotel.
“Ramon Adedoyin did not enter the room that day. Roheem also did not enter room 305 on the day the incident happened,” she said.
Adedeji further said the close circuit television (CCTV) camera in the hotel was functional as of November 5 when the deceased arrived at the facility.
The receptionist, however, said by the time she resumed duty on November 9, the CCTV had been removed, adding that she did not understand the rationale behind the move.
Adedeji further told the court that the hotel owner held a meeting at the house which had in attendance Esther Asigor and Quadri Moshood — her fellow receptionists — who are now on the run.
The receptionist alleged that Adedoyin asked her to tell investigating police officers that the deceased did not lodge in the hotel, adding that the hotel owner asked her to deny receiving money from the late PG student.
“On November 11, before I was arrested, we held two meetings in the Chairman’s (Dr Rahman) house. The first meeting only had me and Raheem Adedoyin. Raheem didn’t tell me who was in room 305 or mentioned his name. He only said receipt number 7316 was missing and that he was trying to help me.
“He gave me a new receipt and said I should write Lekan and one other name I can’t recollect, and I signed it.
“He collected the receipt but later gave it to me to present to the police if they asked for it. Meanwhile, the receipt I wrote for Adegoke (deceased) bore the same number.
“Raheem later called me that my attention was needed by the Chairman. During the meeting, Adedoyin said I should not inform the police that the manager was aware of the payment”, she stated.
She also disclosed that the deceased, after entering the room on November 5 in the evening, did not come down nor did she bother to check on him, since she has nothing to do in his room.
Under cross-examination from Mr Kehinde Eleja, SAN, she said throughout the night of November 5, no act of disturbance or violence was reported to her by the deceased or any of the guests on the same floor with him, saying she also did not notice any strange activity in the hotel.
Earlier while being led in evidence by Mr Okon Ita, Adesola said she sold out 16 rooms in the hotel on November 5 and was surprised when the record given to her by the police reflected 15 rooms.
Meanwhile, the judge, Justice Adepele Ojo after yesterday’s hearing, thereafter adjourned the case till June 27 for the adoption of a final written address.
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