Saturday, September 21, 2024 -A 30-year-old man, Joseph Efe, who was arrested for tying up a half naked lady believed to be sex worker with cello tape at Top View hotel Abuja as seen in a viral video has said he is a thief and not a ritual killer as widely speculated on the social media.
There were speculations that Efe was an
internet fraudster and had intended to kill the lady she tied up in the hotel
and possibly use her body parts for money ritual before he was busted after the
video emerged on the social media.
However, Efe told journalists when he was
paraded by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) FCT Commandant,
Dr Olusola Odumosu in Abuja on Friday that his intention was to steal the
cellphone of the lady he identified as a commercial sex worker and not to kill
her for ritual.
Efe said before his arrest in Abuja, he had
stolen from four victims in Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja.
He claimed he was committing the crime to
raise money for his sister who has sickle cell anaemia.
Efe also revealed during his confession
before journalists on Friday that he met the victim on a “hookup site” before
inviting her to the hotel.
The suspect said he tied the victim to
prevent her from getting help as he exited the hotel after stealing from her.
“I tied her so that she would not run after
me as I fled. I told her to take off her clothes so that even if she can untie
herself, before she puts on her clothes I will be long gone,” Efe said.
Narrating her ordeal, the woman(name
withheld), said that she had been on the hookup site called “coded site”.
“I met the suspect some months ago. I live
in Enugu but visit Abuja for other business reasons.
“When I got to the hotel, the suspect asked
me whether I feared death.
“He said if I cooperate with him, he will
not hurt me like other girls. He said his friend was outside and if I made any
wrong move, he injected me with something.
“ I pleaded with him, he slapped me and
asked me to strip my clothes. I tried to get to the door but it was locked by
him and he held the keys,” she said.
He removed my clothes when I tried running
to the door, he locked the door and removed the key.
She alleged that he used her dress to tie
her hands my dress to first tie her hands but when it was not tight enough, he
took out a cellophane tape .
“ He turned the television volume very high
and blocked my mouth with a handkerchief ,” she said.
She further said that he stole her phone,
unlocked it with her thumb, asked for her bank app details then realised she
had no money in the account.
“ He warned me not to make noise that he was
stepping out then locked me in the room.
“ I later noticed a movement outside the
door and saw the color of the uniform the person wore is that of the hotel
staff.
“ I struggled and dragged myself to the
window then started banging it, luckily the guy heard me at which I immediately
gave him a sign to run after the person taht just left the room which he did
then he was caught,” she said.
According to the NSCDC FCT Commandant it was in the process
of Joseph Efe trying to escape from the hotel premises that his movement became
suspicious and in the process of trying to stop him, he took to his heels
before being chased and caught by NSCDC operatives.
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