TARASHA
Tarasha – Chapter Three(part2)
© Oyin Oluwatosin Emmanuel
James untied his necktie as he dropped into his office seat, he had been out all morning with members of his team. Earlier that day, he received a call informing him about the discovery of a dead body just by the gate of a house winch was only few metres from the warehouse. The body was later identified to be Mr Felix, the manager of the warehouse.
After hours of roaming the estate and interrogating people; especially those who stayed in the house whose gate the body was found, James and his team returned to the office with no substantial clue about how the body was dropped there.
‘Do you care for juice?’ Sandra asked as she walked into the office with a glass cup and a juice pack.
‘No, thanks’ James replied, adjusting himself on the seat properly.
Just then Segun, the third occupant of the large office walked in, he curtsied to James and Sandra who were already seated before he walked to his own table.
[You can also read RAQUELIA (Romance)]
Segun and Sandra were the top officers in the team headed by Inspector James and worked closely with him at all times. Segun was the officer who visited the injured man in the hospital with James and was also the one who called that morning to inform him about the body that was found.
‘Sir’ Segun spoke up after watching hos boss for sometime, he took a look at Sandra who was busy with other things and looked less worried. ‘It’s a pity that the security cameras around that street aren’t working anymore, I think the government has to do something quick about it, it would have provided us with more information’
‘Yea, the government has to do something about it’ James replied, wiping his face with an handkerchief. ‘But I don’t think we would have gotten much from it’
‘Why do you say that sir?’
‘I believe the body was laid there late in the night; that’s why nobody saw them. The cameras wouldn’t be able to show us clear images even if it was recorded’ James answered
‘Hmm, that means they don’t just have to make sure it’s working, they also have to improve the quality of the cameras’ Sandra joined.
‘This is 2030 for God’s sake, how can these things not be working properly? And they expect the police to perform magic’ Segun complained bitterly. ‘Everything is just messed up in third country, the government, it’s officials; nothing to write home about’
‘It is high time we stopped laying blames on the government for our personal inefficiencies and take responsibility for ourselves; our jobs’ James said, looking at Sandra and Segun’s faces one after the other. ‘Fifteen years ago, Nigeria was not like this; it was far worse, so we should be grateful to God that we have a better environment’
‘But look at other countries sir’ Segun argued. ‘They use better technology to aid their security systems, but here in Nigeria; the government keeps misusing, funds and fabricating stories for the public’
‘No, you’re wrong Segun; things are far better than they used to be’ James maintained his position. ‘Now we are living up to the name “Giant of Africa”, we are the best in Africa in terms of technology and development and we are doing better than several other non African countries that used to be ahead of us’
‘But we as the police needs some very vital things for… ‘Segun was arguing when James interrupted again.
‘No Segun, we don’t have any excuse not to do our job well. In years past, several criminal cases like the ones we have now have been solved by the police with very little level of technology or even no technology at all. I believe if everyone would play his part properly then we wouldn’t have problems with our work’ James said with seriousness in his voice, totally silencing Segun and Sandra as they pondered deeply on his words.
The office was silent for some minutes; the threeofficers got deeply engrossed with the computers on their table.
‘Boss’ Segun called to James, he scratched his head as he seemed to remember something. ‘I think we need to look into this matter of the guys on patrol that met those guys in the midnight’
‘We’re already doing that’ James replied, ending his typing on the keyboard. He looked towards Sandra who was already looking at him too. ‘Sandra, I told you to handle it’
‘Yes sir, i checked the records just after we came in this afternoon’ Sandra answered. ‘There was no record of any statement taken, I don’t even think those driving the van were brought to the station’
‘What? But they said they were found laying unconscious on the road’ James questioned
‘Yes,I think we have to take disciplinary action on our men’ Sandra suggested. ‘I believe they were bribed, that’s why they didn’t do the right thing’
‘Oh! You ask them to see me when they return today’ James ordered as he stood up from his seat and walked towards the door. ‘We won’t take it lightly with them if they were truly bribed, they’ll be punished severely’
