Murder Case Episode 3

FLASH BACK

She turned back and saw her husband pointing a gun at her. She was shocked. Her husband had never laid a finger on her not to talk of pointing a gun at her. Yes he had lost his Job but that doesn’t mean he has lost his mind.

“I was in that establishment before you. I know how it is done. Those big men choose people to spend the night with. I gave you the benefit of doubt but you failed me”

What are you talking about, i never slept with anyone” Grace shouted.

“Put the gun down” a voice spoke. They both turned their heads and saw Paul Adeyemi, pointing a gun at Jacobs.

“We can settle this without…. Kpaa” Grace was trying to complete her statement but she was shot. She fell down to the ground.

***********

Paul Adeyemi stood inside the dock, a bible was brought since he was a christain and he took an oath placing his hand on the bible.

I, paul Adeyemi do swear that the evidence i shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So help me God.

Barrister Briggs walked up to the witness.

“how are you doing Mr.paul?” he asked him.

“Am fine thank you” paul replied.

“oh, i can see you are really fine. So i was told you were the one who alerted the police and paramedics about the incident at the house of Mr. Jacobs. As a first hand witness, what really happened?” he asked.

“I was going to my house that faithful day, and i decided to branch jacobs house. When i got there, i saw him pointing a gun at his wife but before i could make any move he shot her” paul explained.

“And what evidence do you have of this claim” barrister briggs asked.

“A picture. I took a snapshot of jacobs pointing a gun at his wife” he replied.

Barrister Briggs turned and walked back to his table while still talking.

“At this juncture, i’ll like to present my first evidence” he brought out a picture. Exhibit was bodly written at the back. In this photo, jacobs can be seen pointing a gun at his wife. He passed the picture to the court administrator who passed it to the judge. The picture was enhanced using a projector for the whole court to see. Barrister Briggs then turned and faced paul.

“Do you know of any reason why Mr. Jacobs could kill his wife?” he asked.

“He is a lost Man, he lost his job while his wife still has hers, thats why he is transferring his anger to the wife” paul answered.

“Thank you mr. Paul, you have been very helpful” Barrister Briggs said, he turned to the judge

“i rest my case”he said and walked to his seat.

The judge turned to Barrister clement

“would you like to cross-examine the witness?”

“Yes my lord” he said and stood up.

Mr.paul can you please tell the court the kind of relationship you have with the jacobs family?

“objection my lord, the question is irrelevant to this case” Barrister briggs shouted.

“objection overruled” the judge came to the rescue. Go on barrister.

“So, Mr. Paul, whats your relationship with the jacobs”.

“I’m a family friend and am very close to the couple” he replied.

“Any proof? Perhaps group pictures, or text messages. Do you even have their phone number?”.

Paul thought of his next answer before answering.

“No”

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“Good, so it has been established that you are not so close to the family, so what took you to their house at about past 10 in the night?”

“like i said, i was passing and i decided to check on them” paul replied.

“Okay, so correct me if am wrong. You went into the house, you saw Jacobs pointing a gun at his wife and instead of saving her you decided to snap pictures?” Barrister clement asked.

“i needed the pictures for evidence” paul replied.

“Evidence? So you planned on uploading it on facebook? There was laughter in the court and when they were finally brought to Order, Barrister clement continued. Forgive me Mr. Paul, but i just want to know, do you have any personal vendetta against Mr. Jacobs?

“No” paul answered.

Barrister clement went to his bag and brought out a white paper. He showed paul.

“Is this your signature” he asked.

“looks like it but signatures can be forged” paul answered.

“Dont worry about that. Few years back you asked for the deceased hands in marriage but she refused and you threatened her that if you do not get her then nobody else will. This is the statement she wrote in the police station. It only took the intervention of your boss in the army for you to sign” Barrister clement passed the paper to the court administrator. He then faced the judge

“i rest my case” he said and went back to his seat.

Even Justice okoro was impressed. He faced Barrister Briggs

“any other witness”.

“yes, my lord, i would like to question the accused” Barrister Briggs said.

“Mr. Jacobs, i would like you to give me straight forward answers to this my few questions and please be audible” Barrister Briggs advised.

“Did you kill your wife?”

Jacobs was shocked. He had expected barrister Briggs to start from the light questions but he just went straight to the point.

“Answer the question young man, did you kill your wife?” Barrister Briggs was getting emotional.

“No” Jacobs replies.

“Did you point a gun at your wife? I mean a loaded gun”.

“No”

The court was shocked, less than five minutes ago they saw a picture of him pointing a gun at his wife but here he was denying the fact.

“Are you saying that picture was photo-shopped?” Barrister Briggs asked. Do you know the repercussion if you lie to this court?”

“Objection my lord, he is pressing my client to admit to a crime he didn’t commit” Barrister clement shouted

“Objection overruled, you may proceed barrister” justice Okoro shouted.

“So you are saying the picture was photo-shopped”

“No, am saying the gun i pointed at my wife wasn’t loaded, it was empty. Infact, as a vigilante, we always submit our bullets to our commander. We only collect the bullets in times of emergency”

“so you are saying, you didn’t kill your wife, who killed her then? Barrister Briggs asked.

Jacobs took a deap breathe and then spoke.

“Paul Adeyemi”

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 unconscious” 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 until 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 handkerchief 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 5 bottles. 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