(The following day SK decided to go and see Jide at the police station. Tade goes with him....)
SK : how are you?
JIDE : I'm coping sir.
SK : this is my friend Tade. He's also a lawyer.
JIDE : good afternoon sir.
TADE : good afternoon...(Looking at his body) where did she stab you with the shoe...?
JIDE : (confused)....I don't understand...she didn't stab me....I don't...
SK : (cuts in)....come on man, that shows you he's innocent...
TADE : okay...can I ask you some questions?
JIDE : yes sir.
TADE : you saw the Minister's son after he raped the girl, right?
JIDE : I guess so. I'm really not sure of when he raped the girl but I can remember seeing blood in his hands.
TADE : where else did you see blood?...try and remember....
JIDE : em...(Trying to remember)....he was rolling on the floor folded up, so I couldn't really see any part of his body.
TADE : okay....
(They left some few minutes later)
*************************************************************
(Two days later, Charles, Jacobs' lawyer decides to go to the Silva's residence. When he got to the security's he met Musa...)
CHARLES : good morning...
MUSA : good morning....em...(Trying to recall the face) the lawyer, abi?
CHARLES : yes...I'm here to see the place as we'd told you.
MUSA : but lawyer, oga has not come back since that day.
CHARLES : (sighs)...okay. I'll just tell Mr Jacobs to call him then...
MUSA : okay.
CHARLES : thanks..bye...(He starts leaving then he remembers Carol's shoe and turns back)....please the shoes, I forgot to ask for them...
MUSA : haha...the shoes? What shoes again?
CHARLES : the shoes we said we'll come back for...
MUSA : haba...but you've come to collect it nau...
CHARLES : (shocked and confused)...me?
MUSA : haba..yes nau...they said you were here about two or three days ago to collect the shoe.
CHARLES : I didn't come here. I've not been here since the last time Mr Jacobs and I came here.
MUSA : (chuckles).....this is a joke bah?....okay, wait let me call the person that gave you the shoes.....(Goes in to call Zubar and they both come out together).....ehn...ehn....see o, the lawyer say him never come collect the shoe...
ZUBAR : (looking at the lawyer)....he's not the lawyer o.
MUSA : (surprised)...what do you mean he's not the lawyer? They gum chewing gum for your eyes? You no see well?
ZUBAR : I know the lawyer wey come. No be this man o...(Looks at Charles and back at Musa)
MUSA : come....(Moves closer to Zubar)
CHARLES : (cuts in)...are you people saying someone else came to get the shoes and you gave them?
ZUBAR : please wait o...(Turns to Musa)...Meko said the lawyer will come and collect the shoe, is that not what you asked him to tell us?
MUSA : yes, but this is the lawyer...if you didn't give it to him, then who did you give the shoe to?
ZUBAR : the person said he's a lawyer. He even came with someone else so I thought its the lawyer you people were talking about...
CHARLES : so you've given out the shoes to some other person?
MUSA : please sir, let us settle this issue amicably....(Turns back to Zubar)...who..I mean what's the person's name?
ZUBAR : his name....(Trying to recall)....chai, what did he call that his name again o....I can't remember well....I think its Suku. May be Suku-Ladder or so...
MUSA : Suku Ladder? What kind of name is that? ...so you didn't even get the name down.
ZUBAR : since you said the man was coming back, I thought you know his name already...
MUSA : Damboroba!
CHARLES : its okay...(Looking at his wristwatch)...its just an ordinary shoe anyway. But please, the girl's father may attach some importance to her shoes because he kept her dress too. So please find out who took the shoe, retrieve it and we'll come get it.
MUSA : okay sir.
CHARLES : I'll be on my way now. Thanks.....(Leaving for his car)
MUSA : okay, bye sir...(He turns to Zubar)....e be like say you don drink that your thing today? You give person shoe, you no ask am for him name....hmm...
ZUBAR : he said he will come back. I'll ask him when he comes....
MUSA : just start praying he does o.
*************************************************************
(Charles got to his office and calls up Jacobs....)
CHARLES : hello sir?
RECEIVER : hello Charles? Have you gone to the place yet?
CHARLES : yes that's why I'm calling you. They still didn't allow me into the place.
RECEIVER : (surprised)...what the hell is wrong with this people....I mean why locking up the place now? Is this the right time to do it? If they'd done that earlier on will my daughter be dead?.....
CHARLES : that's why I called you. I really need to see the place 'cause I wouldn't want to sound like a fool at the hearing. May be you should call them to allow me.
RECEIVER : okay....what of the shoe? Can you bring it to the house please?
CHARLES : oh that's another thing...the security personnel at the house mixed the whole thing up. They gave the shoe to the wrong person.
RECEIVER : what do you mean by that?
CHARLES : Yes....(He explains to him)
RECEIVER : that's weird...who do you think that is?
CHARLES : it may have been the boy's lawyer.
RECEIVER : then why the hell did they collect the shoes? Of what relevance is it to them?
CHARLES : I really don't know myself. I guess they'll bring it when they see its not useful...anyway, please call up the wife or something so I can check the place out. That way I can even get the shoe back for you somehow.
RECEIVER : okay. I'll get back to you.
************************************************************
(Silvia was at the house that day when she received a call....)
SILVIA : hello?
CALLER : good evening....
SILVIA : evening who am I speaking with please?
CALLER : this is Jacobs, Carol's father....
SILVIA : oh good afternoon Mr Achibong...
CALLER : good afternoon Madam. Please my lawyer has being trying to do some investigation concerning my daughter's death in order to help the case but the security personnel at your place said the place is under lock and key...
SILVIA : oh....that's true. My husband was so angry at what happened that he said that the place should be locked up.
CALLER : please we need to check the place out.
SILVIA : em...I'll talk to him and get back to you on it.
CALLER : I'll appreciate that please.
SILVIA : okay....
CALLER : one other thing....your security personnel gave my daughter's shoe to the wrong person, I don't know....
SILVIA : (cuts in)....oh no they gave it to your lawyer.
CALLER : no, it wasn't my lawyer they gave it to.
SILVIA : haha....
CALLER : he was there today and the person that gave the shoe out confirmed it wasn't him. We guess may be it was given to the boy's lawyer...
SILVIA : the boy's lawyer?
CALLER : yes.
SILVIA : em...okay. I'll get back to you....
CALLER : alright, I'll be expecting...
SILVIA : bye...(Hangs up)...how could they have collected the shoe. What do they want to use it for?...(Hisses).....as if it can stand as an exhibit....(Hisses)...Musa will....(She remembers that Andrew said the girl had stabbed him with her shoe. She stands up feeling uneasy. She calls up Musa to come and see her immediately....)
MUSA : ma, you called for me...
SILVIA : how could you have been so stupid and careless?
MUSA : ma, what happened?
SILVIA : so you people went and gave the shoe to the wrong person! You idiots! How the hell did you make that kind of useless mistake!
MUSA : ma, it was a misunderstanding...
SILVIA : what useless misunderstanding is that? Is that how you were thought to do your job?
MUSA : ma....please let me explain....(He explains what happened to her)
SILVIA : you had better known how to collect the shoes back as soon as possible.
MUSA : the man is still coming back ma. We will ask him to bring it.
SILVIA : you better do...get out of my sight you fool!
MUSA : yes ma...(He leaves)
(Silvia becomes very uneasy, she calls her husband to inform him of the new development...)
SILVIA : there's a very big problem o.
RECEIVER : what happened?
SILVIA : the girl's shoe...(She explains what happened to him)
RECEIVER : its just a shoe, why throwing tantrums?
SILVIA : have you forgotten that Andrew's blood may be on that shoe? Remember she stabbed him with it and he bled.
RECEIVER : hmmmmm....
SILVIA : if they should do a test somehow, they will discover something is wrong somewhere and remember Andrew still has the wound on him...
RECEIVER : but those lawyers can't have the money to do that...
SILVIA : don't be so sure o. Let's not sleep under a burning roof, let's do something before this case gets out of hand.
RECEIVER : (takes a deep breath)...okay let me think of something, I'll get back to you.
SILVIA : and remember, the two lawyers now want to check the room.
RECEIVER : the room has been cleaned up, they can't find anything there.
SILVIA : just do something fast...
RECEIVER : okay I'll get back to you.
*************************************************************
(Andy was at his office in Abuja thinking of how to handle the issue before him. He couldn't stop thinking of what to do. He knew his wife was right about her suspicions. They must not sleep under a burning roof. He made some calls, did some inquiries and came to a conclusion on what to do. He called his wife and got Jacobs Achibong's number to make an appointment with the Jacobs Family. He takes the next flight to Lagos as soon as he could.
When he got to lagos, himself and his wife pays the Achibongs a visit....)
JACOBS : I guess you're here because of the room we want to inspect...
ANDY : oh...not just that. I just want to give you an advise that will help you get your full vengeance on the boy that killed your daughter.
JACOBS : (looks at his wife and back at Andy)....oh...
ANDY : yes. Look, I have a young daughter too and can't allow such happen to her and if it does, I'll take my full vengeance on the culprit.
JACOBS : hmm...I'll listening to you...
ANDY : look, that boy, he's still under eighteen years of age. And I guess you know what that means? It means he will be sentenced to 'juve'.
SANDRA : Juve?
ANDY : of course. Didn't your lawyer tell you?
JACOBS : you mean he won't go to jail?
ANDY : no he won't. He will just be detained under the juvenile social welfare or something like that, I don't know for how long. But according to the law he will not go to jail.
JACOBS : even with rape and murder?
ANDY : from what I gathered, yes.
JACOBS : that's injustice!
ANDY : its not injustice, its the law. But well, we can manipulate it.....
JACOBS : how?
ANDY : let's leave the boy in jail without taking him to court until after at least two years.
JACOBS : two years?
ANDY : yes. By then he will be eighteen. If he's tried after that, I'm sure he will be jailed, because by then he's an adult.
JACOBS : (thinking about it, he stands up walking up and down)...I should talk to my lawyer about this.
ANDY : well, you can talk to him, but I'd advice you to only ask him some questions. If you tell him you want to wait till after two years he may go against it. And let me tell you something. This is Nigeria. Once a person has being taken into custody, he remains there until he is tried in court. If he's not tried, nothing will bring him out of prison.
SANDRA : that's true o...honey...if we allow the trial now, that boy will not face the necessary death sentence that he deserves. They will only say he's a kid. I think I agree with what he's saying.
JACOBS : (still thinking about what they have said and he takes a deep breath)....hmm...I'll think about it.
SANDRA : (turns to Andy)...I totally agree with you sir.
JACOBS : but from the way I see things, won't it be more difficult to prove that the boy is guilty.
ANDY : how do you mean? Was he not found with your daughter?
JACOBS : he was.
ANDY : then what other proof do we need?
JACOBS : my lawyer said he needs to do a test. They'll run a test to prove she was really raped and all that. May be to also prove that it was the boy, they'll test the semen inside her.
ANDY : (looks at his wife and back at Jacobs)...really?
JACOBS : yes.
ANDY : poor girl...subjecting her body to all that again. But... do you know that if you leave the case for a later date, all this won't be necessary?
JACOBS : it won't?
ANDY : no it won't. All they'll just need is the fact that he was the only one that was with her and that's it. The judge can't even ask the lawyer to prove all that again because he will know that its too late, so he'll just sentence the boy straight.
SANDRA : honey, I love this idea...
JACOBS : I'll give it a thought.
ANDY : please do....(He looks at his wife)....we'll be leaving now....
JACOBS : thanks for your concern.
ANDY : you're welcome.
(Andy and Silvia leaves for their house.)
SANDRA : honey I think we should go with what he said. He has a good point.
JACOBS : I should still talk to Charles about it.
SANDRA : fine, but don't give him the impression that we intend to wait for two years.
JACOBS : but why?
SANDRA : because he will want to make his money now, why waiting that long? Moreover, he will start telling you that things won't be easy to prove then and all that...
JACOBS : but that's true....
SANDRA : common dear, which one would you prefer? To have the trial now and let the boy just spend some few years at the social welfare or to wait two years and let him pay fully for killing our daughter, which is better?
JACOBS : (thinks for a while)...yes! I know who we can talk to...(He picks up his phone and dials a number)
To be continued....
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