By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja
Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to allow the detained proprietor of Hiton Hotel in Ile-Ife, Dr. Ramon Adegoke Adedoyin, access to medical facilities of his choice pending the hearing and determination of his fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed before the court.
Adedoyin is the founder of Hilton Hotel in Ile-Ife where a post-graduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University OAU student was allegedly killed and was buried nearby.
When the matter came up, Adedoyin, who is also the founder of Oduduwa University, Ile-Ife, through his counsel Mr Kunle Adegoke (SAN), informed the court that its order made on December 6, 2021 ordering IGP to appear in court on December 9 was duly served on the IGP as directed.
As a follow-up, the senior lawyer further said that on December 8, he personally visited the Force Headquarters in Abuja and reminded the authorities of the case billed for Thursday.
He, however, expressed surprise that the IGP was not in court and was not represented by any legal practitioner and urged the court to take the motion ex-parte already filed as the IGP has been put on notice as directed.
Adedoyin in the ex-parte motion, filed along with a fundamental human rights enforcement suit before the court, prayed to be admitted to bail pending the conclusion of investigation by the police or pending the determination of his fundamental human rights enforcement suit.
In the alternative, Adedoyin asked the court to grant him the permission to have access to quality medical facilities of his choice pending the conclusion of investigation by the Police and his possible arraignment.
In his brief ruling after listening to
Adedoyin’s counsel, Justice Ekwo granted the request to the effect that police should allow the detainee to have access to medical facilities of his choice pending the hearing and determination of the fundamental human rights suit and adjourned the matter till January 21, 2022.
The court had on Monday declined to grant any of the prayers contained in the ex-parte motion filed and instead ordered Adedoyin to serve the ex-parte motion and other processes in the matter on the police boss and consequently adjourned the matter till December 9, 2021 for hearing.
Adedoyin, said to be the owner of the Hilton Hotel, Ile Ife, Osun State, where a Masters student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Timothy Adegoke was allegedly murdered, had been arrested in relation to the alleged murder.
In a supporting affidavit, Chief Segun Aworinde, who described himself as Adedoyin’s younger brother, said despite being informed that Adedoyin was hypertensive and diabetic, the Police refused to release him or allow him access quality health facility since he was arrested on November 15, 2021.
According to him, he knows “Adedoyin as an established industrialist and educationist and also a business mogul that owns several higher institutions of learning among which is Oduduwa University, Ile-Ife. He is around 65 years of age with business interests spread over the country.
He added that Adedoyin was “arrested on the 15th November, 2021 by the respondent (IGP) and has since then been in detention in connection with some allegations bordering on the mysterious death and dumping of the corpse of one Timothy Adegoke who was said to have lodged in the applicant’s hotel, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, situate at Ile-Ife, Osun State.
“By virtue of my relationship to the applicant as aforementioned, I know as a fact that the applicant is a hypertension and diabetes patient for over 15 years and has been on specialised drugs and treatments including but not limited to traditional herbs but to which he has not been able to have access since his incarceration by the respondent.
“Having been aware of these health issues/challenges of the applicant, I made a frantic effort to appeal to the respondent to allow the applicant be taken to a hospital with relevant equipment and facilities for proper medical care and attention but the respondent claimed that investigation in the case against the applicant was still ongoing and refused the request.
“All appeal/efforts made to the respondent to release the applicant on bail or be allowed to have access to quality medical facilities proved abortive as the respondent claimed that the matter is still under investigation and as a result of that, could not grant such a request.
“Despite the health situation of the applicant and notwithstanding the absence of any charge pending against him, the respondent directed his officers to transfer the applicant from the custody of the Police in Osogbo to its Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abuja where the applicant is currently being detained.
“I know as a fact that the applicant, a chieftaincy title holder in Ile-Ife, is not a flight risk having established one university and one polytechnic in Osun State, with several other investments all over the country and the applicant is ready and willing to stand his trial at all material times if the respondent eventually establishes a prima-facie case against him”, he averred.
Justice Ekwo has however fixed January 21 for hearing of the substantive fundamental human rights enforcement suit.