Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 20
Two years passed quickly and my mother
improved with every passing day; she had
regained her weight, though she has never
being a big person, she had always weighed
about fifty five of sixty kilogram, her glow
had returned but she could not talk, we
communicate by writing in Yoruba language
or by sign language, she wrote that she
does not know why she could not speak
and she had tried to loosen her tongue to
no avail. The Doctor assured me that she
would talk in due time, he said she had been
mute for years without saying a word so
she had lost her sense of speech but it is
recoverable by special therapy and with the
rate at which my mother had fought to
come back to her senses, she would talk
soon.
On the fourth day of May 1997 barrister Efe
followed by Oga Frank the Warder came to
our cell in the afternoon before visiting
hours calling out my name right from the
entrance of the corridor to our Cell, I jumped
up from my afternoon sleep scared as to
why my name was been called aloud in such
manner, I was the only Ojo in the whole of
the Prison.
They got to the gate of our cell beaming
from ear to ear; Chike has been arrested o!
He shouted; Chike and the gang have been
arrested! Chike came home to visit his family
at Easter! He was nabbed by the Police! He is
busy singing to the Police at state C.I.D
Enugu as I speak with you! Barrister kept
repeating.
I ran wild inside the cell, I screamed till my
head ached, I hugged each and every
inmate; I hugged them so tight my arms
were aching afterwards. An elder inmate
started a worship song and the whole cell
became charged with rendition of worship
and praise songs. I rolled on the floor like
Baba Miko and wept tears of joy after almost
seven years of incarceration.
Where is Barrister Amaka? I eventually found
the voice to ask Barrister Efe; she should be
in Enugu by tomorrow, she has gone to
Agbor to inform the Agbor Police and the
prosecuting Family about the latest
development.
Kai! This Amaka na man! I shouted; what a
man can do a woman can do better!
Imagine what the Police station at Agbor
could not do, a single Girl has done it! Ha!
May God bless her! May God give her a
husband that would appreciate her! A man
that would know her worth! Ha! Victory at
last! Glory be to God almighty! I danced like I
never did for a long time, as my fellow
inmate sang I danced like David danced in
the Bible.
October 9th 1997 I was set free by the
Court! The hearing was brief and clear. Baba
Miko, Mama, Barrister Amaka and Oga Inside
were all in Court. Mr. Chike and the gang
were all sentenced to life in jail with hard
labour without option of fine or bail.
The Judge took a cursory look at me, and
then he skimmed through my file
How old are you? He asked me directly.
I remembered what Barrister Amaka had
told me; I was borne on the 6th of
September 1974 ma! That means I twenty
three years old ma! I said.
And how long have you been on awaiting
trial? She asked.
Since 1991 ma! About six years plus now
ma! I replied
She nodded her head, she skimmed through
my file again then she removed her glasses
and cleaned the lenses before putting it on
again, she looked at the Counsels and
beckoned at them to approach her, they did
and discusses for about ten minutes then
the Court went for one hour recession.
Immediately the Court reconvened, the
Judge court came in, received our
compliments and proceeded immediately
with the hearing.
Mr. Ojo Makanjuola Stephens! You have
spent over six years of your life in
incarceration already! You were sent to
prison when you were barely seventeen
years of age, a minor! A juvenile! A
teenager! Whoever did that? That was
wrong!
The purported crime which you committed
at the age of seventeen should have been
taken care by a juvenile Court and not
sending you to a maximum security facility,
the Police did not help matters as they were
in a haste to heap all blame on you and bury
the case. The divisional Police Officer and
every Police Officer that handled this case
shall be arrested and prosecuted for
negligence of duty and gross incompetence!
For having spent six years in Prison already,
Mr. Ojo Makanjuola Stephens! You are
hereby discharged and acquitted of all
charges and you are free to go home in
peace. She banged the table and she rose!
Case closed!
I turned back to see my Mother talking
hurriedly and gesticulating to Baba Miko
who stood looking at her with opened
mouth. mama has started to talk! I walked
towards my friends, I hugged Oga Inside, I
patted his back and thanked him for
everything, I moved towards my mother, she
was on her knees with arms spread toward
heaven speaking in tongues and in Yoruba
language, It reminded me of her night vigils
back in the Village, I turned towards
Barrister Amaka, she just stood there as if
afraid to move, tears were pouring out of
her eyes, Oga Inside came behind me and
nudged me forward then he whispered into
my ears.
She was not wearing their Lawyer uniform
as she was no longer my Counsel, she wore
a light blue Jeans and a fitted white silky
blouse that clung to her body; I walked
straight to her with open arms and
embraced her, she wept uncontrollably as
she rested her head on my shoulder and
wrapped her slim hands around my neck. I
raised her chin and looked into her eyes,
they were inviting and our Lips locked.
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