Former Minister Allegedly Strips Four Staff Naked Over N5,000

A former Minister of State for Education, Kenneth Gbagi, who is currently nursing a governorship ambition in Delta State in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, has arrested and charged four of his staff working in his hotel to court for allegedly stealing his N5,000, SaharaReporters has learnt.

It was reliably gathered that Gbagi last week Friday arrested the four staff working in Signatious Hotel, Warri, Delta State, after they were striped naked and photographed inside the hotel before handing them over to the police.

It was gathered that after dehumanizing the four staff, a male and three females, they were taken to the Ebrumede Police Station to be remanded in custody.

Speaking in confidence a staff of the hotel revealed that his colleagues were arrested by the former minister over the alleged theft of the said amount.

He said, "My boss, former Minister of State for Education and owner of Signatious Hotel, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, arrested four of my colleagues working for him over the stealing of N5,000 from the hotel when actually the N5,000 was given as a gift to them by a guest because of their good behaviour."

While giving the names of the arrested colleagues as Gloria Oguzie, Victor Ephraim, Rosslyn Okiemute and Achibong Precious, the source said, "Before they were arrested by the police on Friday last week at the hotel, the four staff were stripped naked while they were photographed in the presence of the police. 

"We learnt that the dehumanising treatment was instructed by our boss."

It was further gathered that the hotel management forcefully made some withdrawals from the bank accounts of the four staff through their ATM cards before the police took them away in a waiting van.

The four staff were charged before a magistrate court sitting in Effurun after four days of detention.

In a five-count charge, the police accused the suspects of conniving among themselves to steal monies ranging from N156,000, N110,000, N5,000 and N2,000 owned by Signatious Hotel and committed an offence punishable under section 516 and 390 (9), of the criminal code Law Cap21C Vol.1 Law of Delta State.

The four staff, it was learnt, were granted bail on Monday through the intervention of some anti-corruption and human rights activists, who decided to take up the matter.

Warri-based human rights lawyer, Omemiroro Maxwell Ogedegbe, who confirmed the story, said that the four staff were granted bail by a magistrate court sitting in Effurun, Delta State.

Source: SR

EX MINISTER'S RESPONSE 

PRESS STATEMENT

22nd September, 2020

The futile attempt of political detractors to blackmail Gbagi 

The attention of the management of Signatious Hotel has been drawn to false accusations of staff molestation against our Chairman, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi,   circulating on several social platforms. 

We wish to categorically state that at no time did Gbagi subject any staff of the Hotel to such humiliation as he is presently bereaved and occupied with preparing for the funeral of his sister who passed away recently. 

The management also wishes to use this opportunity to inform the public that the staff in the pictures are part of a malicious conspiracy by some political detractors to bring Gbagi’s character to disrepute. This wouldn’t be the first time an attempt has been made to smear the character of our Chairman for whatever reason. 

In the absence of any dirt to nail Gbagi’s pristine reputation, they have descended to mudslinging by concocting fictitious stories to stir emotions and gain public attention. 

However, what those behind the recent blackmail against Gbagi do not realize is that the employees whom they hand picked for their dirty and poorly executed job were already under investigation by management for conniving to steal huge sums of money from the hotel, some of which have been recovered. Confessional statements to this effect can be obtained from the Ebrumede Police Station. 

We also understand that a disclaimer has been issued by one Barrister Gladys, who tendered an unreserved apology for being misled by a group of Warri Lawyers used by those behind the blackmail attempt. The lawyer in particular we were informed, retraced her steps when she discovered that the group was being used to malign the character of Olorogun Gbagi so as to serve the political interest of their paymasters. 

The management, therefore, calls on the public to disregard such cheap blackmail orchestrated by these desperate detractors deployed to work against Kenneth Gbagi’s governorship ambition.

Finally, we wish to restate our commitment towards ensuring the highest ethical standards in the hospitality industry in Nigeria, while making it a priority to guarantee the welfare of employees engaged by our organization. 

Signed:

Egba Ederoghene 

Director, Human Resources

For Signatious Hotel

Tuesday, 22nd September, 2020