Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have been accused of torturing one Patrick Okachi, a staff of Statement Hotel, located at Central Area, Abuja, with electric shock, inflicting injuries on him over missing “cash safe.”
Patrick, who is a cleaner in the hotel, was accused of stealing a cash safe while cleaning the Chairman’s office; he was accused by the hotel Secretary, Celina Okafor.
Saharareporters learned that Celina hurriedly invited operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) into her office where they allegedly tortured Patrick with electricity and inserted broom into his private parts. According to Patrick in a viral video obtained by SaharaReporters, he said he was detained for three days in Celina’s office before he was taken to another location in Dawaki village by the DSS operatives where he went through another round of beating and torture.
He said Celina also joined the operatives in assaulting him despite his entreaties and plea for mercy.
A source who spoke to SaharaReporters said he was brought back to the hotel when DSS operatives realised that he was unconscious and about to die.
The situation compelled Celina to take him to the Central Area Police station but in the process took to her heels when she was told that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was around as she abandoned her vehicle in the station.
It was gathered that Celina had a pending case with the police two months ago when she detained one of the hotel staff in the toilet of the security room for two weeks after accusing him of stealing food from the kitchen.
It took the timely intervention of the DPO of the station who deployed a detachment of police officers, who broke the door and rescued him following a complaint of a missing person by the wife of the victim.
Celina was said to have been on the run following the move by the police to charge her to court for criminal assault and illegal detention of citizens.
A Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) was said to have been shielding her from prosecution despite the demands by the family of the victims for justice.
Meanwhile, a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) camera footage has revealed that Patrick was not the culprit in the missing “cash safe.” Patrick is said to have a swollen penis and difficulty urinating due to the torture and inhuman treatment. According to Patrick “On Monday, I went to our Chairman’s office. Madam called me and asked who gave me the key. I told her it was my supervisor. On Sunday she took me to her office and asked me to remove my shoes.
“She said I was going to die in her office and she called DSS and those officers came with rifles but covered their faces. I could not recognise anybody. They tied me in her office and she started beating and shocking me with electricity.”
When SaharaReporters reached out to the hotel for reaction, the staff who answered the phone call said he could not speak on the matter.
He directed SaharaReporters to call “an official phone number” of the hotel.
