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By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Abiodun Williams, the leader of the legal team representing Dr Rahmon Adedoyin, owner of Hilton Hotel and Resort, Ile-Ife, has petitioned Osun State Police Command, demanding the probe of a journalist, Oriyomi Hamzat, for alleged cyberbullying and defamation.
Williams, in the petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Wale Olokode, on Monday, called for the probe of Hamzat’s call log, alleging that a police operative was divulging critical information to the journalist regarding the probe into the controversial death of Timothy Adegoke, the Master’s student of Obafemi Awolowo University who died at Hilton Hotel and Resort.
The lawyer also alleged that Hamzat had been misleading and inciting the public against police authorities via social media since investigation commenced into the circumstances surrounding Adegoke’s death.
The petition read in part: “We sadly observed that in the video titled ‘More Update on Dr Rahman Adedoyin and Timothy Adegoke Murder Case,’ posted on the same channels in November 2021, Mr Oriyomi Hamzat placed a call to a person that appears to be one of your officers in the Anti-Kidnapping Squad.
“Osun State Command, who in turn divulged critical information on the ongoing police investigations to thousands of viewers around the world.
“This is not only highly unprofessional, but it is also an outright act of gross irresponsibility. We are of the opinion that if Mr Oriyomi Hamzat’s phone number and call logs are subjected to diligent investigation, the identity or identities of some of your men that are sabotaging your commendable efforts on this case may be revealed.
“Finally, sir, we humbly demand that Mr Oriyomi Hamzat be invited, questioned and possible criminal charges filed against him for defamation, character assassination, cyberbullying, misinformation and inciting the public against the police authority in a manner that may derail police investigations and cause perversion of the course of justice.”