BY SUNNY A. DAVID
Anambra State government has sealed off Cosmila Hotel in Awka, the State capital, where a young Lady Miss Chinyere Awuda was beaten to dead and dumped into swimming pool of the hotel the following morning.
The deceased said to hail from Nnobi, in the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
This was confirmed by the Commissioner for Culture, Tourism and Entertainment, Mr Don Onyenji and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Mr. Christian Aburime.
Mr. Onyenji who spoke with our correspondent via phone, said that the State has to seal the hotel to enable Police to do a thorough investigation .
According to him, the government is worried about the development and would not tolerate waste of human life for any reason.
He also disclosed that the Police have arrested some suspects and that they are in custody.
“Yes, 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 Police investigation,” he said.
Mr. Aburime who also confirmed the sealing off of the hotel said the State government took the action to carry out proper investigation into the case.
It was gathered that the incident happened on Saturday when some friends were spraying money on a birthday celebrant while he was dancing during a birthday party at the hotel.
According to sources at the scene of the incident, trouble started when the deceased was accused of picking up some money that was being sprayed on the birthday celebrant.
The source said, “The girl was at the club when trouble broke out, and a man and his friends started beating her after she was accused of picking money they were spraying on their friend who was celebrating his birthday.
“They accused her of picking money which they were spraying on their friend while some said she did not only pick money from the floor but went for bundles of money, which one of them stacked by his seat side, waiting to spray on the celebrant.
“The girl was beaten when they caught her but despite efforts made by other people in the hotel to rescue the girl, they continued to beat and molest her.
“She was later dragged outside the club, and her lifeless body dumped into the hotel’s swimming pool.”
When contacted, the Anambra State Police spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident and said the birthday celebrator and his friends were already in Police custody while the case is being investigated.
Mr. Ikenga said, “Four suspects are in our custody in connection with the incident, the hotel management assisted the Police in arresting the suspects and investigation is still ongoing. Further details shall be communicated please.”
