PH Serial Killer:  Gracious David West Operated With False Identity, Kachi Tom Jonah – Witness

A witness has told Port-Harcourt High Court presided by Justice Adolphus Enebeli that the suspected serial killer, Gracious David West, lodged in their hotel under false name Kachi Tom Jonah in a case which has attracted global attention.

In court’s sitting on Monday, Chigboo Ebeke, who is manager of hotel in Oyigbo where the alleged serial killer had lodged and purportedly killed one of his victims, told the court as prosecution witness that the suspected serial killer gave his name as Kachi Tom Jonah when he lodged in the hotel on 6 September, 2019.

He said the alleged serial killer had made contact with a lady in the hotel premises and took her up to his room in the hotel at about 9 or 10pm saying he did not know what they discussed before they went upstairs.

Ebeke said when cleaners knocked on the room’s door the next day there was no answer so they left it to go to other rooms.

According to him, they later came back and knocked yet there was no answer recalling that they also knocked on the door at checkout time and then at 3pm that afternoon yet there was no answer.

He said he told his boss about the situation and forced open the door and saw a lady lying dead on the bed of the room. He said he told his boss and his boss immediately called the police saying the lady who lay dead on the bed had her two hands tied to her back and her legs also tied, with a white cloth tied around her neck.

The witness gave the name of the deceased as Linda.

Under cross-examination by counsel to David West, the witness said the hotel (name withheld) also ran short-time service for guests.

He said he made statement to the police and told the court the first accused person checked out of the hotel with the hotel key and had introduced himself as a military personnel during chat with hotel’s director.

Counsel to second accused person asked the witness under cross-examination if he knew the second accused and he said he does not know her. The prosecuting counsel did not cross-examine the witness.

Two other witnesses, Nyeche Sabinus and John Inyang also gave evidence in court and said what happened in their hotels on 30th July and 14th August, 2019, where they said a lady was found dead inside a locked hotel room where David West had lodged, saying that the hotel rooms were forced open.

The witnesses were cross-examined by counsel to first and second accused persons. Prosecuting counsel did not cross-examine the witnesses.

 In an interview outside the courtroom, principal state counsel, Chidi Ekeh, said he commenced the case by calling three witnesses to show Rivers State government is prepared to prosecute the case to its “logical conclusion” saying he would call more witnesses at next adjourned date.

On his part, counsel to David West, Barrister Vincent Chukwu, said he cross-examined the witnesses so they could show further proof of facts they have.

David West is facing prosecution for alleged murder of women in different hotels in Port-Harcourt and other cities in Nigeria.

He faces nine counts of murder and one count of attempted murder and had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The second accused person, Nimi ThankGod, a lady, was in court on Monday and faces one-count charge of misconduct with corpse and had pleaded not guilty to charge.