Hotel Jen Penang general manager Ody Odayappan said on Dec 13, 2017, Anna had stood at the lobby, trying to get an e-hailing ride on her phone at about 2.40pm.
Ody said a hotel staff member attended to her after she appeared to have trouble getting a ride.
“After a few tries, Mrs Jenkins then gave up and told the staff member she was going to cross over to a taxi stand and get to wherever she was going.
“My staff member and I saw her crossing Magazine Road and going towards a taxi stand,” he said during the inquest into Anna’s disappearance today.
After learning about Anna’s disappearance, Ody said he brought her husband, Francis ‘Frank’ Jenkins, to help lodge a missing person’s report.
They also looked for Anna at the Lighthouse Cafe, a Catholic soup kitchen where she was actively involved in helping the poor.
He said they had also gone to an old folk’s home in Batu Lanchang Lane where her mother resided.
“We also circled near the Race Course area. Then, after 45 minutes of a fruitless search, we drove back to our hotel,” said Ody.
Ody said Anna and Francis had booked 16 nights for their stay at the hotel, from Dec 5 to 21.
Subsequently, Francis had extended his stay longer after her disappearance until Dec 25.
He said police had come to make inquiries with Francis and hotel staff, and had checked room 0633 to see if any valuable effects were missing from the safe.
Ody said Francis told police nothing was missing from the room, with the floor only accessible to housekeeping, maintenance and room service staff and duty managers at all times.
He described the couple as affectionate. They were always seen together, with Francis coming down in his hotel slippers to send her off whenever she went out.
“This couple often spoke about how they liked to donate items to charities, elderly homes and poor folk,” he said.
Ody said the couple were considered regulars at the hotel and he had personally communicated with her.
Khairul Anuar Abdul Halim, who is assisting the coroner in the inquiry, asked Ody about the Jenkinses’ contact phone number registered with the hotel.
Ody said the phone number (a Penang landline) was last updated on June 18, 2020 by a receptionist.
Later, Ayob Hussain, the front counter supervisor, testified briefly on seeing Anna at the hotel lobby.
The inquest will continue tomorrow.