A 21-year-old lady, Esther Isaac, has been allegedly murdered at Agete Luxury Hotel in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The brother to the deceased, Emmanuel Isaac, in an interview said that the hotel management allegedly mounted pressure on him to accept the sum of N500,000 for the burial arrangements of his sister and forget about the case.
Emmanuel who has gone into hiding as a result of threats to his life since he rejected the money spoke to SaharaReporters that he would not give up on the matter until her late sister got justice.
He also accused the police of being complicit and for the shoddy and poor investigation in an attempt to protect the killers.
The victim had on February 25, 2022 lodged in Room 901 at the hotel but was strangled to death by yet-to-be-identified persons.
He accused the FCT Police Command of compromising the case and turning itself to the mouthpiece of the hotel with view to conceal the truth.
Emmanuel said, “They told me that they want to give me N500,000 so that we can use it to bury my sister fast. I told them okay and I travelled to Calabar and they were looking for me. I am pleading with everybody to help me and get justice for her.”
He said both the police and hotel management humiliated him for daring to follow up on the matter by asking for the circumstances that led to her death.
He added that the hotel management had something to hide by refusing to release the CCTV footage the day Esther lodged in the facility.
He said, “We live in Calabar and I tried calling her two numbers, left her a message on Whatsapp, but she did not respond, which was unusual. I kept calling. Later, a police officer, Inspector Dajunma, picked up the call and told me my sister was dead.
“He asked me to come down to their division in Abuja. I was in Abuja the following day and the police officers tried to work things out, but the hotel owner shouted at me.
“They asked if I had anyone and I told them that it was myself and my late sister; we lost our parents a long time ago. They took advantage of my situation.
“Inspector Dajunma said maybe the case should be transferred to another place, so I left for Calabar. I came back to the station to ask for an update, but the police officers shouted at me.
“One of them insulted me; he said my sister died a shameful death and I should forget about getting justice. He said my sister came for her business while the hotel was doing their business. I was humiliated at the station and was not allowed to speak a word.
“I demanded to see the CCTV footage; they said their CCTV was bad on that day. They said she came to the hotel with someone without showing me any evidence. I think the hotel management knows more than they are making us believe,” he added.
He said Esther’s mobile phone and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) were still in the custody of the police and they had refused to release them with the excuse that the investigation was still in progress.
“Her phone and ATM cards are still with them for more than a month now. They are not doing anything; they are just looking for a way to kill the matter. It was the hotel that killed my sister because you can’t say such an incident happened and nobody knows about it in the hotel. I cannot believe them and that is why they are after me. They told me that she came with a man. Then if you want me to believe, prove it.”
Meanwhile the deceased’s brother also demanded for the transfer of the case from FCT Command for thorough and unbiased investigations.
In a petition obtained by SaharaReporters dated March 26th 2022 and addressed to the Assistant Inspector General Of Police Wuse Zone 7 and sinned by FCT Director Behind Bars Human Rights Foundation, Oby Ofili.
The petition reads, “PETITION ON THE GRUESOME MURDER OF 21 YEAR OLD ESTHER ISAAC ASUQUO IN ROOM 901 AGETE HOTEL ABUJA. APPEAL FOR CASE TRANSER FROM FCT COMMAND TO ZONE 7 ABUJA. The above subject matter refers. We are acting on instruction of Emmanuel Isaac Asuquo hereinafter referred to as our “client” and on whose behalf and firm instructions we write.
“May we by this letter once again formally intimate you of the gruesome murder of Esther Isaac Asuquo inside room 901 Agete Hotel Abuja Whilst we entreat that you use your good office to order for case transfer from FCT Command for thorough and unbiased investigations.
“We passionately plead and solicit your kind support.”
But when SaharaReporters reached out to the hotel for reaction on the allegation, a lady who picked the phone call said she was not competent to answer any question on the matter and that she was not aware that the hotel offered him any money.
She promised to get the message across to the appropriate authorities.
Efforts to reach the Spokesperson of FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh for reaction was unsuccessful as her mobile phone could not be reached
