Anambra State Government has sealed off a popular hotel in Awka, the state capital, over the death of a young woman inside the hotel’s club.
The lady, whose name was given as Chinyere, was reportedly beaten to death by other clubbers last weekend, for allegedly stealing money being sprayed on a birthday celebrant by his friends.
Sources said the body of the young woman was found inside the hotel’s swimming pool on Sunday morning, where her killers dumped her.
There were varying accounts of what actually happened. While a source alleged that the deceased had picked money sprayed on a birthday celebrant in the club, another alleged that she had gone for the bundle of money which one of the clubbers had kept by his side, which he intended to spray on the celebrant.
One of the sources said: “One of the clubbers accused her of picking money which the fun seekers were spraying on their friend who was a birthday celebrant.
Another said: “Some others said she did not only pick money, but went for bundles of money, which a clubber stacked by his seat side, waiting to spray on the celebrant.”
Yet another source, a regular clubber in the facility, alleged that: “Some of these girls just dress up and come to the club and begin to pick money. While you’re spraying your friends, these girls will just be picking and pocketing the money.
Because men are already drunk in clubs, the girls get away with the money. I was not at the club last weekend, but I heard that the girl went for money that someone kept by his seat side, which he was getting prepared to go and spray. That was what happened.”
Sources said efforts made to rescue the young woman from the angry men did not yield fruit as they continued to beat her. It was gathered that her lifeless body was later dragged outside the club and dumped into the hotel’s swimming pool.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Tochukwu Ikéngà, confirmed the ugly incident and said the birthday celebrant and his friends have been arrested and investigation has commenced.
“Contrary to what people are saying about the complicity of the hotel, we were assisted by the management of the hotel to arrest the suspects. Investigation is still ongoing,” he said.
Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Don Onyenji, said the hotel has been sealed.
“We have visited the hotel and, also, sealed it off. We are in touch with the police who are already investigating the matter, and the facility will remain sealed, pending the outcome of the police investigation”, he said.
