Two Worlds - Season 1 - Episode 84

4 years ago

Two Worlds - Season 1 - Episode 84

“Thank you. That’ll be all.” He strode to his seat.

“Any redirect?” Her Ladyship asked the prosecuting attorney.

“No, My Lady.”
“May the State call its next witness.”
The prosecuting attorney stalked to the podium. “My Lady, the next witness would be speaking via a video link because of his inability to be here in person due to some health issues.”

Her Ladyship looked at Mr Victor. “Any objections to the witness testifying via a video link?”

“The defence has no objections to that,” Mr Victor said.

He offered Richard a glass of water. “You should drink this.”
Richard received the glass and tried a sip. The liquid singed his taste buds. The last thing he needed was water. “What wrong have I done this man that he would place a murder on my head? His testimony will go far in weakening our chances.”
His lawyer gave no reply, refused to look Richard in the eye the way he normally did anytime Richard talked. His eyes were as blank as the pad on his desk. Something hovered around his face, something that did not resemble confidence.

Noise arose in the courtroom. Her Ladyship hit the gavel against her table and the noise subsided. The officers helped in controlling the remainder.

Technicians set up a screen and other electronic equipment at the front of the court. The prosecuting attorney began. “The next witness is the victim of the attempted murder case, Mr Bakare Damijo. He will be testifying from his domain. The State had ensured he is free from any sort of pressure or anything that could prevent effective examination.”
The technicians finished with their set-up, and the victim, on a wheelchair, showed on the screen. He sq££zed his jaw with one hand, waiting for the prosecuting attorney to begin.
The prosecuting attorney turned to the screen.
“May you state your name, please.”
“Bakare Damijo.” His bass boomed from the side speakers.

“Address?”
“22, Meji Street, Lagos Mainland.”
“What’s your occupation?”
“I run a computer store.”

The prosecuting attorney glanced at his legal pad. “Does the orchard at Burma Street belong to you?”

“Yes.”
“Do you have any issues with it, like a dispute with the land or something else?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Are you in any dispute whatsoever with anyone?”

“None that I can remember.”
“Where were you on the 17th of March, 3 P.M.?”

“I was in my orchard.”
“Were you there alone?”
“There might have been some persons around.”

“And who are they?”
“I don’t know all of them.”
“Can you say the names of those you could recognize?”
“As at 3 P.M., all I saw was a man standing on my turf.”

The folds that were almost formed at the lawyer’s cheeks relaxed. “And what was the man doing?”
“He was standing, gawking at his phone.”
“And who was this man?”
“I don’t know his name.”
“If you see the man anywhere, would you be able to recognize him?”
“I would. I have a good memory.”
The prosecuting attorney fished into the leaves of his pad and brought out a photo of Richard. “Is this the man?”
“No, it isn’t.”

The prosecutor brow furrowed into multiple folds that relaxed as he began speaking. “Did anything suspicious of a crime happen in the orchard?”
“Yes. The man I saw had a bag that I believe contained some money. He was about to sell something to someone, something that couldn’t be sold in the open.”

The prosecutor fixed on his legal pad and scribbled. He raised his head to Bakare. “And what happened next? Did the man you claim to see eventually sell anything to anyone?”

“Yes.”
“Did you see the second party?”
“I didn’t see him.”
The prosecutor walked nearer to the screen as though the victim was physically present. “But you just said he sold an item to someone. How would you know that if you didn’t see the second party?”
Bakare formed a smirk, the remaining of his face unmoved. “There was no mirror. I couldn’t have seen myself.”