Hotelier Denies Ritual Accusations Amidst Assault Allegations

The Zone 2 Police Command has arrested and paraded Macdonald, a hotelier and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Leuven Empire Hotel and Suites in Ejigbo, Lagos, for allegedly sodomizing a 16-year-old secondary school kid.

The suspect acknowledged having intercourse with the youngster twice but denied using him for ceremonial purposes.

The suspect brought his son and four other teens to his hotel, where he sodomized them and threatened to kill them if they told anybody about the incident, according to the boy's father, Edozie Christian, a spare parts salesman at Ladipo market.

The offender was apprehended after the boy's father informed the authorities about the occurrence.

The hotelier stated in a video released by TVC News on Thursday after being arrested that he had intercourse with the youngster twice but did not use him for rituals.

"I swear with my life," he claimed, "that I never used him for any ritual and that we only had sex with him (Chiagoziem)." Along with my kids, I make a vow in the memory of my deceased parents that I only ever engaged in sexual activity and never performed any rituals.

Macdonald was paraded in front of reporters at the Zone 2 Police Command headquarters in Onikan, Lagos, on Wednesday due to accusations that he had illicit carnal knowledge of a 16-year-old kid.

The suspect is accused of violating the natural order, according to CSP Umma Ayuba, the Zonal Public Relations Officer.

This comes after the 16-year-old victim's father filed a petition on January 23 with Mr. Adegoke Fayoade, the Assistant Inspector General of Police.

According to the petition, the suspect had sex with the minor in violation of the law.

Fayoade designated CSP. Bangajiya Uba to carry out a covert inquiry into the case after receiving the petition.

The victim confided in his mother after first being afraid to speak up because of claimed threats from the suspect.

Ayuba recalled that the suspect told him that if he told anyone about the incident, he would lose his sanity.

According to the Zone 2 PRO, the victim described how the suspect had sex with him after being persuaded by his mother.

The victim described how the suspect forcefully subjected him to illegal sexual practices after driving him from the hotel to his home at No. 4B, Oshoba Street, Akowonjo-Egbeda, Lagos.

The suspect allegedly gave the victim N5,000 in cash and a bottle of Lucozade Boost after the event.

"The victim's parents reported the incident to the Isheri-Osun Police Division after learning of this," Ayuba stated.

According to the PRO, investigations were started, but instead of assisting law enforcement, the suspect tried to sway the outcome by refusing to accept police invites.

The victim's father took the case to the Zone 2 Command Headquarters after noticing that the accused was trying to elude justice, and the hotelier was eventually taken into custody.

"The victim had a medical examination at Mirabel Medical Center to determine the accuracy of the claims," she stated.

According to Ayuba, the victim's account has been further supported by the testimony of a critical witness who was at the hotel at the time of the occurrence and was a close friend of the victim.
This acquaintance attested to the fact that the suspect had been committing crimes against the victim and had tried to do so with him but was thwarted.

Additionally, he provided chat logs, recorded phone conversations, and video evidence that the victim had taken inside the suspect's home using the suspect's own phone.

The suspect first denied knowing the victim. But when he was shown the proof, he acknowledged bringing him to his home.

"The victim has shown signs of mental distress since making his confession, and the suspect allegedly threatened to harm his psychological well-being if he disclosed the incident," she said.

The probe also revealed the first investigating police officer's lack of professionalism, according to the Zone 2 Police Public Relations Officer.

Before sending the case to the Zone 2 Command Headquarters, the officer allegedly altered the case file by deleting an important witness statement.

Since then, the IPO has been placed under arrest and is going through disciplinary action.

"The medical report from Mirabel Medical Center is still authentic and hasn't been altered in any way, despite what some media outlets have claimed," she stated.

She claims that the victim is receiving medical attention at the moment and that the suspect will be charged in court after the inquiry is over.

Five other youngsters are said to have been lured to the suspect's hotel and subjected to the same crimes by him. According to reports, he threatened to kill the victims if they revealed the incidents, thus intimidating them.

According to Ayuba, AIG Fayoade asked parents and guardians to continue being watchful and proactive in protecting their children and to offer advice to keep them safe from negative influences.