The proprietor and some staff of a hotel where suspected armed robbers that robbed banks and killed many people in Offa lodged have been docked for conspiracy.
The hotelier was arraigned on a two-count charge before a magistrate’s court in Ilorin, the state capital, along with some members of staff of the hotel for alleged conspiracy over the criminal act of the robbers.
Staff of the hotel arraigned were the accountant, a receptionist, a room keeper and a club house operator, as well as four lodgers.
The police said on April 6, a team of operatives on investigation into the armed robbery extended their investigation based on intelligent gathering to the hotel located along Igosun road in Offa with the view of securing information that could assist discreet investigation into the crime.
They said the hotel staff could not however satisfactorily give account of questionable lodgers in their hotel prior to the robbery incident by their failure to maintain or keep proper official lodgers’ 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 police First Information Report (FIR) stated.
The prosecutor, Inspector David Wodi, told the court that investigation into the case was yet to be completed.
Upon an application for bail which was unopposed by the prosecution, the magistrate, Mrs M.B. Folorunso, granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till May 3 for further mention.
