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The vibrant atmosphere of Cosmila Hotel in Awka, Anambra State, turned tragic as Chinyere Awuda’s night of clubbing ended in alleged violence, resulting in her demise.
Authorities found the lifeless body of the victim, who hailed from Nnobi in the Idemili South Local Government Area, near the hotel’s swimming pool the morning after the incident.
The incident, as learned by The Eastern Update, happened on Saturday at a hotel where friends were celebrating a man’s birthday. They were happily throwing money at him while he danced.
Due to the incident, the state government has enforced the closure of the hotel.
It was gathered that on Thursday, she was reportedly beaten to death for supposedly taking some of the money thrown during the birthday celebrations.
A witness who preferred anonymity due to the nature of the incident said, ‘Trouble started for the girl when she was accused of picking part of the money being sprayed on the birthday host.’
‘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 from the floor.’
‘They also said she did not only pick money from the floor but went for bundles of money, which one of them put by his seat side.’
‘The girl was beaten when they caught her. Despite the efforts made by other people in the hotel to rescue her, 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.’
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The hotel’s Operational Manager, Mr. Stanley Akunezili, claimed that he was not at the premises when the incident happened. However, he received a briefing from the club manager about the incident.
DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, the state Police Public Relations Officer, verified the incident and disclosed that the man celebrating his birthday and his friends were currently in police custody, under investigation.
‘Four suspects are in our custody in connection with the incident. The hotel management assisted the police in arresting the suspects and the investigation is still ongoing. Further details shall be communicated,’ Ikenga said.
As reports of the incident reached the public, the Anambra State Government wasted no time in sealing off the hotel.
Don Onyeji, the state Commissioner for Culture, Tourism, and Entertainment, verified the development to journalists in Awka during a press briefing on Thursday.
Onyeji confirmed that the hotel management cooperated by providing the CCTV camera, and the investigation is now focused on analyzing the footage to establish the real cause of the incident.
‘We have visited the hotel after the report of the incident filtered in and we have also sealed it off. We are in touch with the police who have made some arrests and are already investigating the matter.x
‘We have the CCTV camera and we are studying the footage at the moment. For now, the facility will remain sealed, pending the outcome of the police investigation,’ he said.
The state Commissioner for Culture, Tourism, and Entertainment, Onyeji, declared that the facility would be sealed until the investigation yield the cause of the deceased’s death.
