The Chronicles of Akin: The Trial (2)

Find the Part 1 here

The court session resumed and Nike was called upon to defend her case. She talked about the whole incidence and she concluded, ‘My Lord, my client was just trying to help. If he really intended to rob the students in question, My Lord, why would he rescue the boy when he was wounded? Why would he even stayed behind to try stopping his bleeding? Why would he carry the boy to hospital in the...’ ‘Objection, My Lord!’

The plaintiff’s defense counsel broke in and cut her short. ‘Objection sustained’ the judge replied and continued ‘you have something to say?’ ‘Yes my Lord’ the defense counsel replied. ‘My Lord,’ he cleared his throat and continued ‘from the hospital record, the wounded boy was brought to the hospital by one “Mr Thomas Dosumu and Not...’, he stressed ‘and Not any Mr. Akinola Enimoo...’ he paused and continued; ‘How could that be, My Lord?’ he paused and looked around. ‘And’ he continued, ‘the persons in question are not present in this court. He paused again looking at the judge to ensure that his argument sink in. ‘My Lord,’ he went further, ‘how could Mr. Thomas Dosumu could metamorphosized to Mr. Akinola Enimoo? And also, how do we know that the said “okada man” in person of Mr. Olaniyan Razak was also not a fraud or impersonating?’ He concluded. The judge called on the defense counsel of the defendant to  defend her case.

‘Thank you, my Lord.’ Nike said. ‘If you will permit me my Lord,’ she continued. ‘I am pleased to inform your lordship that we have in our midst the said Mr. Olaniyan Razak who happened to be the okada man  in question.’ ‘Objection! My Lord!’ the defense counsel for the plaintiff broke in; ‘another impostor!’ he shouted. ‘Objection overruled’ the   judge replied and motioned the defense counsel for the defendant to bring forth the said Mr. Olaniyan Razak. Nike called out the man. He did the court swearing. The defense counsel asked him several questions and he answered according to the best of his knowledge. ‘My Lord, this man, if he is not an impostor, was not present at the scene of the incident.’ He paused, cleared his throat and continued; ‘he was just an okada man who helped in taking the wounded boy to the hospital. And moreover My Lord, he narrated what he was told by the mysterious Mr. Thomas. And according to the hospital record, the said Mr. Thomas who took the boy to the hospital was passing by and he saw the wounded boy.’ He stopped. My Lord, if I may ask now, why would Mr. Akinola want to claim to be the mysterious Mr. Thomas?’ he continued to answer the question himself... ‘because he discovered that his identity has been revealed. And the said Mr. Thomas was nowhere to be found. I therefore have no doubt, My Lord, that Mr. Akiola Enimoo is a hardened criminal – an impostor, an arm robber. And as you can see my Lord, he is a great liar. If he is not a liar, why would he not reveal his true identity if at all he was the one who took the boy to the hospital?’ he concluded.

The judge scribed something down in his book and he looked up and said ‘having heard from the two defense counsels, I am not convinced by the witness brought here to testify to the innocence of the accused person. He passed and continues; ‘I had no doubt that...’ he noticed a boy raising up his hand from the back of the court. The judge recognized him as one of the boys who have been questioned earlier from the onset of the case. ‘Yes? You have something to say?’ the judge asked. The boy nodded and was brought to the front of the courtroom. The normal court swearing ritual was conducted.

‘My name is Biodun Adeyanju. Everything this man’ pointing to Akin where he was standing in the court box ‘said were correct. He was telling the truth.’ ‘Can you shed more light?’ the judge asked. Biodun narrated the whole incident – length and breadth of it without any lies. When he finished, the whole court went silence. The defense counsel asked him, ‘why did you lied in the first place?’ ‘Because Tanjigo threatened me!’ he shouted and started crying. The judge wrote some things down. He raised his head, ‘I want to see all those boys right now!’ he ordered. Immediately, all the other six boys were arraigned in the court. The judge scolded them and he gave them appropriate sanctions.

Akin was discharged and acquitted. He was however fined for imposition – penalty for giving fake names. Tanjigo was expelled from school. The other boys were punished.

‘Thank you Lord! You are merciful!’ Akin knelt down right there in the court and thanked God for saving him.     

The Chronicles of Akin continues... with another Episode... Keep posted.