MURDER CASE
Episode 5
The whole court was shocked by jacobs’ revelation. The whole case was taking a new dimention.
“Do you know how preposterous your accusation sound? You mean he shot your wife and you just stood there?” Barrister Briggs asked.
“Immediately he killed my wife, he charged at me and hit me with his gun and i became unconcious” Jacobs narrated
“I see.
Your counselor just said Mr.paul has a personal vendetta against you so why didn’t he kill you? I mean, you are the only thing standing between him and Grace according to your lawyer, so why did he choose to kill Grace instead of you?”
“I don’t know” jacobs replied.
“you also said all bullets are submitted to your commandant untill during emergencies but according to reports there was an armed robbery attack that night which means you were with bullet so how about the truth? How did you feel when you killed my daughter?”
“Objection my lord, false charge!! My client has not been proven guilty” barrister Clement shouted
“Objection sustained, Barrister lets wait till that is proven”. Justice Okoro said.
“i rest my case” barrister Briggs said. He brought out a white hankerchief from his pocket and used it to wipe the already forming tears in his eyes. He sniffed inaudibly and went back to his seat.
Whispers of eyaa, kai and the likes, were heard in the crowd.
“Would you like to cross-examine him?” Justice Okoro asked Barrister Clement.
“No, your honour.” he replied.
The judge turned to Barrister Briggs
“your next witness please” He said.
By this time, Barrister Briggs has already regained composure.
He stood up and called.
“Mr. Fidelis Ogbu, please come out”
A middle aged man who was probably just a few centimetres fatter than the ‘letter I’ came out. He went straight into the dock.
“Mr. Fedelis, what kind of relationship do you have with Mr. Jacobs?” Barrister Briggs asked.
“Ah!! Na my paddy o, na me with am the follow drink for junction. Infact ehm, e dey even carry me go him house, madam go come cook better food for us. Kai, madam na good woman o” fidelis spoke.
“so were you with Jacobs on the day of the incident?”
“yesso, na me with am been drink that day sef. E call me around past 3 say make we go drink. As we come the drink na, him come tell me say e go kill him wife today. I think say na play him the play o. Around past 4 we come drink finish. By then, my friend don drink 5bottles. I come leave am go my house o, na the next day naim i come hear say e don kill him wife” fidelis narrated.
“Why did he talk about killing his wife”
“him say as him wife the go work say she the follow men for office, say him go kill her.
“thank you mr. Fidelis” barrister Briggs said and walked back to his seat.
“Would you like to cross-examine the witness?” Justice Okoro asked Barrister Clement.
“Yes, your honour” Barrister clement said and stood up. He opened his bag and brought out three pictures.
“Mr. Fidelis, you claimed to have seen Grace right?” Barrister clement asked.
“oga lawyer i don see the woman plenty times, my friend the carry me go him house” fidelis explained.
“Good, so which of this three pictures is grace’s picture” he asked and gave the three pictures to Fidelis to choose.
After carefull observation, Fidelis chose one and gave to Barrister clement.
“Are you sure?” Clement asked.
“oga na she be that” Fidelis replied. Barrister clement then showed the picture to the judge.
The picture was once again enhanced.
“According to our ‘self acclaimed’ friend of Mr. Jacobs, this is Mrs. Grace. But i tell you what, this is the picture of Genevieve Nnaji. So our friend here doesn’t even know mrs.
Grace. The question is, are we going to listen to the testimony of a drunk?
“Objection my lord, the Barrister is using foul words in the court.
“Objection sustained” Justice Okoro shouted.
Barrister, vulgar words are not allowed in this court.
“I guess all am trying to say is, even if my client truly said what Fidelis has accused him of, then he probably said it under the influence of alcohol. But there is a difference of seven hours between past 3 and past 10. So am sure the alcohol must have cleared from my client’s face even before his wife came back so he wouldn’t carry out an action he had said when still under the influence of alcohol. I rest my case” Barrister clement concluded
To be continued
