Court Frees 12 Ajayi Crowther University Students Arraigned for Beating Colleague to Death

The Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, has discharged 12 out of the 25 students of Ajayi Crowther University who were initially charged with the murder of their fellow student, Alex Timileyin.

The students were accused of beating Timileyin to death on suspicion of stealing a mobile phone. The incident occurred in the Shepherd Inn hostel on the university’s premises, with the beating reportedly lasting for several hours.

The 12 students who have been discharged are Kehinde Martins, Samuel Okorie, Mustapha Khalid, Yusuf Adeniran, Joseph Areoye, Iyanuoluwa Oyelakin, Obaloluwa Olalekan, Emmanuel Adejumobi, John Daudu, Moses Abiola, Hammad Tijani, and David Kolawole. Chief Magistrate Ogunkanmi, while discharging them, cited legal advice indicating that there was no evidence linking these students to the alleged crime.

One of the defendants, Femi Oladoye, a security guard at the university, was charged with negligence of duty. He was granted bail in the sum of N250,000, with two sureties in like sum.

The case, which was adjourned till July 8 for mention, saw earlier accusations by the Prosecutor, CSP Funke Fawole, that the defendants unlawfully caused the death of the 22-year-old student by beating him with planks and electrical wires. Fawole also stated that Oladoye failed to prevent the fatal beating.

The offences were said to contravene Sections 516, 515, and 324 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.