Offa robbery: Police arraign hotel owner, workers, guests

The Proprietor of Xontec Hotel on Igosun Road, Offa, in the Offa
Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mr. Kadir Surajudeen, and
members of his staff have been arraigned before a Magistrate’s
Court in Ilorin, the state capital, for failing to give police
credible information on the gunmen who attacked some banks in the
area.

Also arraigned were four guests who stayed in the hotel at the
time the assailants allegedly lodged in Xontec Hotel.

Suspected armed robbers, who robbed five banks and killed scores
of people on April 5, were alleged to have stayed in the hotel
before going for the operation.

Our correspondent learnt on Wednesday that the hotelier and his
staff were arraigned on two counts of criminal conspiracy and
causing disappearance of evidence, including giving false
information to screen an offender.

The staff members of the hotel arraigned with Surajudeen
included the accountant, receptionist, room keeper and clubhouse
operator.

According to the First Information Report, the offences
contravened sections 97 and 167 of the Penal Code Law.

The report said, “On April 6, a team of operatives on
investigation into the armed robbery attack extended their
investigation based on intelligence gathering to the hotel on
Igosun Road in Offa with a view to securing information that could
assist discreet investigation into the crime.

“The hotel staff could not, however, satisfactorily give account
of questionable lodgers in their hotel prior to the robbery by
their failure to maintain or keep proper official lodger register
expected to be presented to the police and other law enforcement
agencies on demand.

“Others found in the hotel during the investigation failed to
give credible information to the police operatives to assist in the
investigation concerning their observation in the hotel within the
period in question.”

The prosecutor, Mr. David Wodi, told the court that
investigation into the case was ongoing.

The defence counsel, Joshua Ijaodola, pleaded with the court to
admit the accused to bail pending the outcome of investigation.

He argued that the country’s constitution presumed the accused
innocent until the contrary was proved.

Wodi did not oppose the application for bail.

The Magistrate, Mrs. M.B. Folorunso, granted the accused bail in
the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

She adjourned the case till May 3 for mention.

The Proprietor of Xontec Hotel on Igosun Road, Offa, in the Offa
Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mr. Kadir Surajudeen, and
members of his staff have been arraigned before a Magistrate’s
Court in Ilorin, the state capital, for failing to give police
credible information on the gunmen who attacked some banks in the
area.

Also arraigned were four guests who stayed in the hotel at the
time the assailants allegedly lodged in Xontec Hotel.

Suspected armed robbers, who robbed five banks and killed scores
of people on April 5, were alleged to have stayed in the hotel
before going for the operation.

Our correspondent learnt on Wednesday that the hotelier and his
staff were arraigned on two counts of criminal conspiracy and
causing disappearance of evidence, including giving false
information to screen an offender.

The staff members of the hotel arraigned with Surajudeen
included the accountant, receptionist, room keeper and clubhouse
operator.

According to the First Information Report, the offences
contravened sections 97 and 167 of the Penal Code Law.

The report said, “On April 6, a team of operatives on
investigation into the armed robbery attack extended their
investigation based on intelligence gathering to the hotel on
Igosun Road in Offa with a view to securing information that could
assist discreet investigation into the crime.

“The hotel staff could not, however, satisfactorily give account
of questionable lodgers in their hotel prior to the robbery by
their failure to maintain or keep proper official lodger register
expected to be presented to the police and other law enforcement
agencies on demand.

“Others found in the hotel during the investigation failed to
give credible information to the police operatives to assist in the
investigation concerning their observation in the hotel within the
period in question.”

The prosecutor, Mr. David Wodi, told the court that
investigation into the case was ongoing.

The defence counsel, Joshua Ijaodola, pleaded with the court to
admit the accused to bail pending the outcome of investigation.

He argued that the country’s constitution presumed the accused
innocent until the contrary was proved.

Wodi did not oppose the application for bail.

The Magistrate, Mrs. M.B. Folorunso, granted the accused bail in
the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

She adjourned the case till May 3 for mention.