The Osun State government has denied allegations that it intends to pardon or subvert the judgement of the death sentence on Dr. Rahman Adedoyin.
Adedoyin and six others were arrested in November 2021 following the death of a student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Adegoke Timothy at the Hilton Hotel of which he is the founder.
The 65-year-old businessman was later found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by hanging.
Reacting to the allegation in a press statement on Monday, the spokesperson for the governor, Olawale Rasheed, insisted that Governor Adeleke’s administration had never and will never intervene in the judicial process, labelling those behind the “fake news” as “public enemies”.
“Those who concocted the fake news are evil-minded political operatives who are merely grasping at straws in their desperation to blackmail the state Governor,” it read.
“Governor Adeleke has not and will never contemplate exercising the prerogative of mercy or whatever the report calls it, on a matter under adjudication which has generated deep interest among local and global communities.
“It is important to clarify that neither the State Governor nor his political party has any hidden plot on the said murder case other than a public interest agenda to see culprits in the dastardly act face the full wrath of the law.”
“That explains why no PDP member is involved as counsel for any of the convicted individuals and why the state judiciary enjoys and exercises its full independence in the hearing and judgement of the case.”
While addressing those he described as “paid agents”, Mr Rasheed affirmed that his principal was never in collusion with Mr Adedoyin and had no ulterior motive to subvert the course of the law.
“It is uncharitable for political enemies and their paid agents to attempt any linkage between the convicted businessman and the state Governor,” he said.
“We affirm with all sense of responsibility that Governor Adeleke is not at any material time a friend or partner of the owner of Oduduwa University and did not interfere, intervene or manifest any untoward agenda in the arraignment, hearing and sentencing of the accused.”
He advised the general public to ignore the rumours on social media while thanking the indigenes of the state for their continuous support for the governor.
“We, therefore, urge the members of the public to ignore the repeated rumours of state pardon by Governor Adeleke for the convict and the watery push to link the service records of a state judicial official to a popular verdict on the gruesome murder of a postgraduate student,” he said.
“Those peddling such lies are agents of darkness acting on behalf of disgruntled, dark political elements. They are better ignored.
“We convey appreciation to men and women of goodwill who have put up a spirited defence for the Governor in the face of this orchestrated falsehood. The undiluted truth is that neither the State government nor the state Governor is interested in the subversion of the wheel of justice.”
