Adegoke: Receptionist bags two years in jail for doctoring deceased’s receipt
JUSTICE Adepele Ojo of Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo, yesterday, sentenced Adesola Adedeji, the receptionist that lodged the late Timothy Adegoke at Hilton Honors Hotel, Ile- Ife in the evening of November 6, 2021, to two years imprisonment for altering the receipt issued to the deceased.
Adedeji was said to have fabricated another receipt for the purpose of concealing traces of Adegoke’s lodgement at the hotel.
Trial judge, who is Osun State Chief Judge, had on Tuesday found Adesola guilty of doctoring the hotel receipt issued to the deceased, fabricating another and concealing evidence charged against her.
However, counsel to Adesola, Okon Edet, had passionately begged the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convict, explaining that she never intended to conceal evidence, and that it was through her statements to the police that some facts of the case were discovered.
Corroborating, Fatima Adesina, who represented the lead prosecutor, Femi Falana, urged the court to consider the fact that Adesola assisted the prosecution with her evidence and be lenient in sentencing her.
To this end, the judge, who was moved by pleas for Adesola, desisted from reading the sentence, she had already reordered for the convict and adjourned till yesterday for sentencing in consideration of the pleas for leniency.
When the matter came up for sentencing, yesterday, Justice Ojo said: “I have carefully considered the passionate pleas of the counsel in his allocutors.
“I have observed the sober dominion of the convict throughout the trial. I am equally mindful of the circumstances leading to her culpability, but Section 411 ( 2)( b) ( e) of the law will take its course. I hereby sentence you Adedeji Adesola to two years imprisonment, counting from the first day of your detention.”