A Lagos resident, identified only as Fuad, has been arrested for allegedly raping a receptionist in a toilet in the Mutab Hotel and Suites on Abeokuta Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos State.
The 19-year-old victim was asleep at the reception of the hotel when one of the lodgers woke her up at midnight and requested a towel.
It was learnt that the victim immediately left the reception, went to the backyard of the hotel to get the towel and was on her way to attend to the guest when she felt the urge to relieve herself.
The victim, who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday, said she decided to urinate at the general toilet at the backyard when Fuad accosted her inside the toilet.
She said, “He wore only his underpants when he blocked me inside the toilet. I saw a bottle with him and he said if I refused to have sex with him, he would use the bottle to kill me. He raped me inside the toilet and after he was done, he left me there. The incident happened between 12 midnight and 1am on Saturday when everybody was asleep.
“I was also asleep until one of our customers woke me up and said that he needed a towel. I was the one who attended to him (Fuad) when he came with his girlfriend to lodge in our hotel. He paid N5,000 for the room. He must have seen me when I went to pick the towel as he left his girlfriend inside the room, blocked me inside the toilet and raped me there.
“I reported the incident to my manager, Mr Ali, who raised the alarm in the morning. Mr Ali and my colleagues went to Fuad’s room, apprehended him and it was at that point that his girlfriend knew what he did. My manager and colleagues saw the bottle Fuad used to threaten me inside the toilet.”
The owner of the hotel, Mutairu Oke, said the suspect was handed over to the police, adding that the receptionist was taken to hospital for treatment.
He said, “Immediately I was informed in the morning, I instructed my workers to apprehend him. I rushed down to the hotel and took him to the Denton Police Station. Fuad is currently detained there.
“We have taken our receptionist to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja, where it was confirmed that she was raped. They gave her some medications and told her to return to the hospital on Monday for further tests.”
The Chief Security Officer, Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, Ishola Agbodemu, while condemning the incident, said Fuad was fond of causing trouble in the area.
He added, “Despite our efforts to reduce crime in the area, it is surprising that someone who has a wife at home, raped a receptionist in the same hotel he lodged with his girlfriend.
“People know the boy (Fuad) in the neighbourhood; his friends have been trying to intimidate the girl from speaking out.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the incident.
He said, “The suspect has been arrested. The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, has directed the gender unit of the command to take over the case for further investigation.”
(PUNCH)