THE ROAD AHEAD CHAPTER 18

(Sandra and Jacobs decided to call up another lawyer, putting him on speaker....)

JACOBS : hello Barr. Ogba..
RECEIVER : hello
JACOBS : please I need to ask you some things.
RECEIVER : go on.
JACOBS : you know here in Nigeria, a lot of suspects are kept behind bars without being tried in court.
RECEIVER : yes. Some of them are even there for up to ten years...
JACOBS : hmm...but is it at their disadvantage or....
RECEIVER : (cuts in)..of course. Most of these people will be found guilty because most of the evidences that may prove then innocent may not be found again. They cannot have a fair hearing, trust me.
JACOBS : really?
RECEIVER : yes. For example, if its a murder case, they should be able to do a finger print test, look for eye witnesses and all that but tell me, who will keep a crime scene for more than a year? Even a month in this Nigeria? After a long time some evidences can't  be gotten anymore. So the lawyers will just work with hearsay....
JACOBS : I see....
RECEIVER : hope there's no problem? Or do you have someone...
JACOBS : (cuts in)....oh no, at all. I was just asking. Thanks for the enlightenment.
RECEIVER : you're welcome.
JACOBS : bye...(He hangs up)
SANDRA : you see, let's just leave the boy there, let him rot there.
JACOBS : what then do we do about Charles?
SANDRA : just ignore him because he will want to convince you to continue with the case.
JACOBS : hmm.....(Thinking about what to do)


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(Meanwhile, Andy and Silvia got home, discussing...)

SILVIA : you think they'll buy your idea?
ANDY : I wish they do.
SILVIA : I think its time Andrew left for the US.
ANDY : hmm...
SILVIA : I've told my sister to take good care of Andrew when he gets there.
ANDY : can she?
SILVIA : of course, her husband can...
ANDY : hope he won't kill my son for me, you know he's in the Army...
SILVIA : well, Andrew needs his kind of discipline, before he will go and do something worse than he's done.
ANDY : okay.
SILVIA : where is he....(She dials Andrew's number on her phone...)...hey young man, where are you?
RECEIVER : Ken and I are at the galleria.
SILVIA : okay...come home soon. Your Dad is here.
RECEIVER : okay.
SILVIA : (hangs up)...so what about the other lawyer?
ANDY : I've told those boys to bring him to me.
SILVIA : that's if you're home when he gets here.
ANDY : if I'm not, then attend to him, tell him to come back and see me. You can get his number. I'll call him up.
SILVIA : okay.....(Looks at the time)...I don't know why Usho is not here yet. He went to pick Joan since morning.
ANDY : Joan?
SILVIA : yes. They have their mid-term break.
ANDY : okay.

(About an hour later, SK and Tade show up at the Silva's residence, they met Musa at the securit post....)

MUSA : how may I help you?
SK : I'm Sunkanmi Alder the lawyer for Jide Akande.
MUSA : oh...please hold on...(He goes inside to call Zubar and they both came out together....)Is this...
ZUBAR : ehn ehn....this is the man I gave the shoes.
SK : yes, we collected the girl's shoes.
MUSA : but why nau...you're not her lawyer, are you?
SK : oh well it will boost our own investigations too. So please we came by to see the place.
MUSA : the girl's lawyer is already here and they want their shoe.
TADE : please tell them to get in touch with us. For the girl's shoes. We'll give you our number.
SK : and by the way, how was the door when you found the girl's body?
MUSA : the door was locked. We had to use crow-bar to open it. We later found the key somewhere on the floor.
TADE : outside the room, right?
MUSA : yes...any problem?
TADE : no, just wondering.
MUSA : okay...em, in fact you people came at the right time, oga and Madam are at home. You can talk to them about seeing the place.
TADE : that's good.
SK : we'd love to do that please.
MUSA : okay....
(He goes to the phone to inform Andy that SK and Tade are around and he demands to see them immediately. Musa leads SK and Tade into the house to see the Minister. The duo could not but marvel at the beauty of the exquisite building and its compound. They enter into the first sitting room, one created for guests of their own grade.

They got inside and sat down waiting for the Minister. As they admire the aesthetic nature of the sitting room...)

ANDY : good day young....men....(Walking into the sitting room with his wife)
SK : (standing up)...good afternoon sir, ma...
TADE : Good afternoon sir, ma...(Standing up)
SILVIA : good afternoon.
ANDY : good afternoon...(Extending a handshake to SK)...you are?
SK : Sunkanmi Alder sir...lawyer for Jide Akande (Shaking Andy's hands)
ANDY : okay...(Turns to Tade)..and you?..(Extending a handshake to Tade)
TADE : Tade Alesh sir...(Shaking Andy's hands)
ANDY : nice to meet you young men...please sit down.
BOTH : thank you sir....(Sitting down)
ANDY : what can I offer you?
SK : anything sir.
ANDY : (smiles at his wife)...please tell some of the maids to get them some wine.
SILVIA : okay....(She leaves)
ANDY : so...(Turns to SK)...who's the young man with you?
SK : oh Tade is my friend, a lawyer too.
ANDY : I see...em...I heard you were here earlier...
SK : yes sir. We need to check the room where the incident occurred, in order to...
ANDY : (cuts in) yes and you were also given the girl's shoes....
SK : oh yes sir.
ANDY : oh well the girl's lawyer is also demanding for the shoes. The girl's parents want it back as soon as they can...
(As they were talking, Silvia comes back to sit down, telling them their drinks will be served soon)
ANDY : so as we were saying, did you bring the shoes with you?
SK : (looks at Tade)....em...no sir
TADE : (cuts in) we'll get in touch with the girl's lawyer and give it to him when we're through with it sir...
ANDY : (looks at his wife)...when you're through with it?
SK : yes...sir.
ANDY : is there something on the shoe...that we may need to know?
TADE : (holding SK from talking)...sir, we may not be able to disclose some of the information that will help our case sir.
ANDY : oh....(Smiles)...lawyers...I just love you people's job. It carries a lot of discretion, isn't it?
TADE : you can say that again sir.
(As they were talking, Andrew walks in carelessly and their attention was drawn to him...)
ANDREW : hey Mum!....(Walking towards her)...What's so urgent that you delayed our fun?
ANDY : (trying to act like a responsible parent)...hey young man, is your Mum the only one in here?
ANDREW : oh...(Looks at those seated there)..hello...(Turns back to his father)....Dad, Ken and I are still going out. I just came because Mum asked me to come home....
(As he was talking, his sister who had come back from the boarding school about thirty minutes ago rushed towards him giving him a hug)
JOAN : missed you Drew!...(Pushing herself against him, she hits his shoulder)...
ANDREW : Arrrrgh! Joan! You just hit my wound!...(Holding his left shoulder)
JOAN : oh..I'm sorry...(she withdraws from him while looking at where the wound is)....what happened to you there?
ANDY : hey! hey! hey!.....you two should go to your room we have guests here...
JOAN : tell me what happened to you Drew...(Following her brother as he holds his shoulder leaving the sitting room)
SILVIA : go to your rooms!....(Standing up to usher them out)...leave this place!
ANDREW : (he ignores her)....Mum, I need to change the bandage...(Walking out of the room)...it still hurts...
SILVIA : you people should walk fast!...(Pushing them out as she closes the door)
ANDREW : what's with the rush Mum?....(Moving out sluggishly)
SILVIA : just go!
ANDY : (turns to SK and Tade)....em....sorry about that, you know how kids can be....
BOTH : its okay sir...
(One of the maid's come over to serve them some wine)
ANDY : please make yourselves comfortable.....so, we were talking about the shoe. The girl's family have been so uptight about the shoe.
TADE : we can give the security personnel our number. They can give it to them.
ANDY : okay....
SK : and about the room sir, we really need to check it out...(Sipping his drink)
ANDY : I don't think there's much to see about the room. Its been cleaned up already so....
TADE : but sir, a room where such a crime was committed, should have been a no go area for everyone except the police, investigators and lawyers....(he sips his drink)
ANDY : oh well, the police didn't tell us that...
TADE : that's the Nigeria Police for you sir. In the Western world things like this are very important. It helps the case in finding the real culprit.
ANDY : (looks at his wife)...the real culprit?
TADE : yes sir. Little details really matter at a place where a crime has been committed, that's why there's supposed to be a barricade from intrusion.
SK : that's true sir.
ANDY : so are you saying the boy in police custody is innocent?
SK : according to the law sir, everyone is innocent until tried and proven in court to be otherwise.
ANDY : hmmm....
SK : my client was found unconscious, which means there's something wrong somewhere. I mean someone can't rape and kill a girl, then knock himself out afterwards....(Chuckles and looks at Tade)....
TADE : very impossible...
ANDY : em....what if its a way of making a disguise?
SK : oh sir, we've been in the business of crimes and investigation, it doesn't work like that. Instead, he would have done it and ran away. But committing a crime and locking himself up inside...(Chuckles) The key wasn't there, isn't it?
ANDY : I wouldn't know, I wasn't there...
SK : well, that's the thing sir.
ANDY : so you're saying someone may have done it and implicated the boy?
SK : well sir, that's a possibility.
ANDY : I see....(Looks at his wife)
TADE : cases like this are very easy to solve. Its a rape case, if a protection wasn't used, then the sperm will fish the person out. I mean given the situation of things, I mean the boy's unconsciousness, it proves there was fowl play ...(Looks at SK)..
SK : definitely...
ANDY : hmm mm...(Feeling very uneasy with the way things are going)
SK : anyway sir, we shouldn't bore you with the details.
ANDY : oh no, I'm really enjoying our gist....let's go on...so, they can test the semen?
TADE : of course sir. In fact, that should be part of the work of the prosecuting counsel. He needs to have a very good evidence to prove that it was our client that raped and killed the girl.
ANDY : so, the girl's lawyer will have to do all that?...(Looks at his wife who's already feeling very uneasy with the sound of things)....
SK : yes sir. If not, he doesn't have a good case.
ANDY : I see....
(Tade taps SK and winks at him that its time to go)...
SK : sir, we'll like to take our leave now...
ANDY : oh...okay....please....(Bringing out some money from his purse)....take this for your cab....
SK : oh no, don't worry sir...
ANDY : oh please take it. I should do that because once again you're coming here without seeing the place like you were supposed to.
SK : (collecting the money)...thank you sir.
ANDY : you're welcome...please don't forget to drop your phone numbers at the security's.
SK : okay sir.

(SK and Tade get to the security office and heard the drivers and some of the security personnel talking about Madam telling them they'll be taking Andrew to the airport soon. They drop their numbers there and left.

On their way...)

TADE : if you ask me, SK, I'd say that Jide guy is innocent.
SK : you think so?
TADE : more like I know so...can't you see those people? Its so obvious in their action that their son committed the crime...
SK : I suspected that too....with the way the man was asking questions and all that....(Bringing out the money Andy gave them)...Let's see how much he gave us....(Counting it)....hmm....20k o!
TADE : just for transport! 20k....
SK : rich people...
TADE : na Minister nau...for Petroleum for that matter, the guy nah money bag....
SK : hmm....(Sharing the money)...take your own....
TADE : thanks....come, there's something else we're not thinking o....
SK : what?
TADE : that their son, you didn't hear when his sister was asking him how he got himself wounded.....
SK : (thinking)...yes he didn't answer
TADE : and immediately the mother started ushering him out of the sitting room...are you thinking what I'm thinking?
SK : you think the wound was caused by the girl's shoes?
TADE : from a lawyer's point of view...its very possible...judging from their behavior....
SK : you know what?...I still don't know where all this is leading us.
TADE : why did you say that?
SK : well, because we don't have money, neither does the boy's mother have the money to conduct a test on the blood we found on the shoe...
TADE : hmm....that's true...
SK : And we just heard that the boy is traveling abroad so I'm not even sure of the outcome....
TADE : well...let's hear from the girl's lawyer first then we know what will happen from there.
SK : hmm....


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(Meanwhile, back at the Silva's residence, Andy and his wife are discussing in his room....)

SILVIA : what are we going to do? Those lawyers, I'm sure are suspecting my son already.
ANDY : hmm......
SILVIA : and from the way they talked, they sure know how to do their job, contrary to what we thought.
ANDY : I'm more concerned about the Achibong's lawyer....
SILVIA : why?
ANDY : if he decides to do a test on the semen found inside the girl....your stupid son, I'm sure didn't use any protection whatsoever...
SILVIA : let's ask him....(Standing up to leave)
ANDY : that's such a foolish question to ask...of course he didn't!
SILVIA : let's be sure...
ANDY : woman! Don't be dumb! He didn't use any...moreover, if he did use protection when sleeping with the girl, what if his blood is really on the girl's shoe?
SILVIA : blood stain?....I don't think that should be given any kind of consideration....
ANDY : oh really?
SILVA : yes...I mean, if there's really a blood stain...
ANDY : (cuts in)...I believe there is, because from the way those boys talked, I believe there's something on that shoe.
SILVIA : they may think its the girl's blood...or the girl's blood may also have stained the shoe...that way, they can't detect if it's Andrew's blood or not...
ANDY : why not look at it this way...what if its only Andrew's blood and not the girl's blood, and they decide to do a blood test, what will happen?
SILVIA : those guys look like they are hungry, do you think they have the money to do that kind of blood test?
ANDY : why not think this way instead...."those guys look like they are hungry, so, why can't we feed them so much that they will both forget about the case and destroy all the evidences pointing at Andrew?"

To be continued...