Cynthia Osokogu: Witness Issued Used Receipt

Vivian Amunike, a receptionist at Cosmila hotel where Cynthia Osokogu was allegedly murdered by her Facebook friends. Vivian, yesterday, told an Ikeja High Court that she issued a used receipt to Ezike Olisaeloka, who is the second defendant, at the resumed hearing of the trial of the four men.

She said that on the day of the incident, she got to work around 7:40am and her colleague, Ifenyinwa Njegbu, did the normal handover, but that while she was handling over, she saw a couple going out and Ifenyinwa informed her that it was an early check.”If you check in very early in the morning after 12am is referred to as early morning check.” She said Ifenyinwa handed over to her and told her the number of people they checked in previously and how many nights they paid for.

But that this particular early morning check of room C1 royal executive, was to expire by 12pm Sunday 21 of July 2012. Amunike said that nothing spectacular happened that day until night around 9:30 to 10pm, when Okwumo Nwabufo and Ezike Olisaeloka came in on 21,of July 2012

She added that the first defendant approached her at the reception where they usually check in and said he wanted to see the royal executive so since she had an open room, the portal, whose name is Oscar, took them to see the royal executive room, then the first defendant later came down and informed her that he was going to bring his guest and the second defendant made payment and she issued the second defendant a used receipt.

”I issued him a used receipt because the room has already been paid for by the first lodger, which her colleague Ifenyinwa checked in.” She added that on the day the unfortunate incident happened, she did not follow the normal procedure because the room has been paid for previously.

”When any body checks in they make payment and I issue receipt, then give the portal key to take the guest up stairs.” She further added that during the payment for the royal executive room C1, took down the name of the second defendant Ezike Olisaeloka, who gave his name as John. Amunike, told the court that the first defendant Okwumo Nwabufo, later came back with a guest, whom she said she did not really see the face of the girl, because she was pinging, but described her as tall and slim.

She also added that the portal took Cynthia’s bag inside and she and the portal shared the money the second defendant paid for the royal executive room C1, adding that its not normal for her to have shared the money. According to Amunike, she said she left the hotel the next morning around past 8am being a Sunday and was later called by the accountant around 2pm that the people she checked in had killed their guest and she rushed down to the hotel immediately.