Chapter 46

Hearing had continued the next day.
“And when all these evidences are put before you, when all these are weaved together, you will know Senator Nnamani is guilty of murdering 4 people in cold blood with aforethought and also guilty of attempting murdering an unborn child on the 27th and his own daughter within the same period, thank you.”
“Mr. Brown, we can break for lunch or you can do a stop and start?” the judge asked, consulting his watch.
“If it’s your choice, I’ll go now. I wouldn’t be as long as Barrister Nwaka.”
“Okay, be brief.” The judge said.
“Ladies and gentle men and jury, I know you have spent all morning listening to Barr. Nwaka talk. I know you are tired, famished and hungry. But what I have to say to you wouldn’t take much of your time than necessary. I don’t like Senator Nnamani; I don’t think he is a nice person, so I don’t expect you to like him either. He’s been a terrible son to his parents, especially his mother because he felt she disappointed him and a terrible half brother to his sisters and brothers. He is a nightmare to his loving and caring wife and been a terrible father and destructive in the life of his only daughter. He has cheated the state in taxes, paid millions of naira in fines and penalties over the years. Looted the state coffers, pushed condoms and contraceptives around to innocent 10 year old school kids in bus loads and to hungry women in ship loads who are in dire need of medical supplies. I don’t like him myself. He has worked with foreign partners to impose mandatory family planning on us against our moral and cultural ethos. I don’t like him. I’m going to tell you something in the course of this trial that will make you to like him even less. But this is not a popularity contest. It’s a murder trial and the single most provable fact of this proceeding is that Chief Alfred Nnamani couldn’t have conspired with others to murder his only daughter, let alone killing the 4 deceased suspects in police custody with adequate security. Is he a ghost? How did he gain access to the police cell, and hitherto to their food? In fact, Chief has no right or reason to attempt killing his only daughter. Now, the whole state is going all out. They have got the whole team out here. They are throwing everything, including the garbage at this case. I want just one thing from you. Yes, just one thing. I want you to ask yourselves; does not liking this man good enough reason to convict him of murder? Enjoy your lunch, we’ll talk again.”
As soon as Barr. Brown left the court room, Senator Nnamani grabbed him by the coat, “Mr. Brown, Mr. Brown, what the hell was that about? They gonna skin me alive. I thought you were here to defend me?”
Barr. Brown turned abruptly and faced him squarely. “Listen to me like you’ve never listened to anybody in your whole life before. I had to burst my ass to make sure they hate you because as long as they hate you, they will equally believe it’s your enemies who are at the bottom of it all.” 
The two men looked at each other for a long time. 
The Senator nodded as he got the messages.
“Got it?”
“Yeah, I got it,” he nodded, beaming. “Why didn’t you say so before?” he asked, smiling.
“Then, it doesn’t look spontaneous?” 
Chief nodded. “No, it doesn’t. Thank you,” Chief replied, still beaming with happiness.
                                **
“May I continue, your honor?” Barr. Brown asked as soon as the recess was over.
“You may.”
“Senator Nnamani is the chairman of the Population Control Committee, right? That means he sees to the fertility control of the state. Fertility control in this sense means creating awareness about easy access to condoms and pills and other contraceptives. His position is by appointment, which means anybody can be appointed to head the board. Should not liking a policy and program which he inherited and represents be interpreted to include how he chose to live his private and personal life? I don’t think so. Senator Nnamani is not the one encouraging the use of condom, sterilization or abortion rather he is currently the head of an organization, of which so many of you sitting down here, have headed or are a part and parcel of or may be appointed someday to head. He didn’t create or establish the board, he didn’t draw up the policy guidelines either and he wasn’t the one who sold the idea of establishing the board to us. The board is an institution of the state just like the schools, churches or the military. He is just like any of us here who may be called upon at any time to serve our dear country in any capacity. Therefore, he is only carrying out his constitutionally assigned duty as a patriotic and law abiding citizen. Any one of us could be appointed to head this organization any day. Now, Barrister Nwaka may have found that bizarre as well as some of his political enemies. And so they want to capitalize on that singular fact and ruin him. We all know for certain too that Senator Nnamani is an astute politician and it’s quite glaring he may win the forth coming presidential election. And so his political enemies are afraid he might win the election. They know he is a sure banker, so what did they do? They went and concocted this bullshit. They know they can play on the public’s ignorance. They also know that as long as it’s about condoms and abortion, the public will listen because of his pro-condom and pro-abortion stance. Are we crucifying him because we hold contrary views? Yes, Mr. Nnamani believes condom offer protection and that a woman should have the right to abort an unwanted pregnancy. Ladies and gentlemen, since when has it become a crime to express one’s views or inalienable human rights? Since when has serving one’s country in any capacity one is called upon to serve become a crime? And since when has creating awareness about maternal health and the future of country become a crime? I wouldn’t know. So, I ask you to think about these things and regurgitate over them. We’ll talk again. Thank you.”
After the hearing that day, the case was adjourned till next week to enable all the parties concerned to appear before the court. Trust the media; they blew the trial out of proportion. The press had dubbed it the ‘the Greatest Treachery of the Century.’ They also called upon all the ministries and agencies concerned to revaluate their policies and programs in their different editorials. Pro-lifers also stood up and condemned in totality the systematic acceptance of abortion, condom and other contraceptives in the society and asked the court not to give its consent but rather to uphold the right to life of the unborn and the sanctity of human life.
They also called on the courts to put pressure on the Ministry of Education to explain to the public the secret behind the sexuality education recently inculcated into the school syllabus. So the very next hearing, Mrs. Obodo, the principal of Holy Child College was in court to defend allegations ranging from showing under-aged children pornography in the name of sexuality education and attempted abortion against a woman’s consent.

Book Comment (8)

  • avatar
    Glaiza Matarong

    nice story

    25/08/2023

      0
  • avatar
    its lhang

    Great book

    23/08/2023

      0
  • avatar
    aquinodaniel

    so cool

    23/08/2023

      0
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