The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke has dispelled the rumours making the round on social media that he is plotting to subvert the death sentence on Dr Rahmon Adedoyin, the killer of Obafemi Awolowo University master student, Timothy Adegoke.

Adegoke was found dead in November 2021 at Adedoyin’s Hilton Honours Hotel, Ile-Ife, where he (the deceased) had lodged.

In a judgment on May 31, the Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Adepele Ojo, pronounced Adedoyin and two staff members of the hotel guilty of murder.

Ojo, in a judgment that lasted over two hours, held that the circumstantial evidence available to the court, pointed to the killing of Adegoke while being a guest at the hotel owned by Adedoyin.

Reacting to the allegation, the spokesperson for the governor, Olawale Rasheed, in a press statement made available to The PUNCH on Monday, affirmed that there is no plan to pardon the proprietor of the Oduduwa University.

The statement read, “Reacting to the growing rumour of possible state pardon for the businessman, Governor Adeleke was quoted as noting that his administration never has 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.

“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.

Adeleke noted that he has no hidden plot on the said murder other than the public interest agenda to see culprits in the dastardly act face the full wrath of the law, adding, “No PDP member is involved as counsel for any of the convicted individuals and the state judiciary must enjoy and exercise its full independence in the hearing and judgement of cases.

He further said, “It is uncharitable for political enemies and their paid agents to attempt any linkage between the convicted businessman and me.

“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, therefore, urged the members of the public to ignore the repeated rumours of state pardon for the convict.