13 ATTORNEY FAVOUR AND ROSE

Once in the past, as both prosecutor and defence attorney, Favour had been involved in cases over which Honourable Charles Vincent presided being a trial judge. Favour is in her final year as a law student and I had to let her know that am bringing Senator Oluremi Tinubu to face the law, this is the first time she is appearing as my attorney. The only caveat to a case with Judge Vincent was his affinity for almonds, which he kept in glass jars on his desk in both the courtroom and chambers, and cracked open loudly with his teeth.

Pretrial hearings were usually held in open court, but the severity of Senator Oluremi Tinubu's charge and the publicity it had attracted led everyone involved to believe the meeting was best conducted in the Judge's chambers which after was being held was then issued into the courtroom.

Judge Vincent, black robes fluttering around his ankles, strode into the room with Favour and Rose hurrying in his wake. All three sat down, and Judge Vincent slid an almond out of the glass jar and popped it into his mouth.

Favour was sitting like a covent school girl, hands folded, black skirt tucked around her legs and a glazed smile on her face,even as Judge Charles Vincent spat out the almond shell into his palm.

"Your Honour, it's perfectly within precedent to have an alleged corrupt leader brought to trial in handcuffs." Favour rolled her eyes.

Rose rounded on her. "What do you think he's going to do here?" She turned to the Judge. "The only reason for the shackles, as we all know is to make everyone think he's dangerous."

"He is dangerous." Favour pointed out in an under tone. "He threatened to kill my brother and also sent men to kill him outside the courtroom."

Reporters and onlookers poured into the courtroom.

"Save it for the jury." Rose muttered beneath her breath.

"Jesus God, Chineke haba..." Judge Vincent said, spitting an almond shell into his hand. "Is this what I have to look forward to?" His lids drifted shut as he rubbed his temples. "The defendant can remain uncuffed for the duration of the trial."

"Thank you, your honour." Rose said.

"Be seated." The Judge said, opening a file. "The prosecution may begin."

Favour stood up and faced the jury. "Ladies and gentlemen. My name is Favour Samuel and I'm here to represent the state of Lagos. I want to thank each one of you for taking on a very important job. The twelve of you are here to make sure that justice is done in this courtroom. And in this case, justice means that you will find that man," She raised a finger and pointed. "Senator Oluremi Tinubu guilty of alleged kidnap and attempted murder. Yes murder. It happened not too long ago while my client was seated outside the courtroom, luckily for him, the police got there in time." She turned around, her hands spread on the rail of the jury box, directing her attention at an elderly grey haired woman in a Yoruba native attire. "Let me tell you what he did. Senator Oluremi Tinubu hired a serial killer to have my clients blog shut down, the serial killer also tried hacking his blog but didn't succeed. Prior to the fact that my client was left with death

threats, stalked and kidnapped."

"Nice speech, Miss Samuel did a fine job, didn't she? Rose stood and sauntered toward the jury. "If she is right about her claims, atleast there should be a witness or an evidence to back up her claims. Ladies and gentlemen, you have to be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the scene Miss Samuel painted for you was the real one and not a painted scene because my client hasn't done anything like hiring a serial killer to kidnap and attempted murder."

"The prosecution calls Prince Gabriel to the stand."

Senator Oluremi Tinubu was shocked to see the witness as she walked back to the defense table and placed her hand on her client's shoulder. "I could have guess that he told them it was me after I paid him to keep quiet." He whispered.

"We are doomed."

There was a slight buzz as the first witness was sworn in. He settled down with the ease of someone who'd played a particular house before, his gaze level on the jury.

"Is it true that Senator Oluremi Tinubu paid you for such act."

"Yes your honour."

Detective Kebe was also asked a couple of questions as of the attempted murder outside the courtroom and she gave the Judge the death threat note.

The court was a living thing, vibrating with rumours and objections.

"Your Honour." Rose said. "I have a witness."

"You what?" Favour exclaimed, but Rose was already calling Senator Oluremi Tinubu to the stand. "Objection!" Favour sputtered.

Judge Vincent sighted. "Counsel, meet in chambers. Bring the defendant."

They followed the Judge into his office, Senator Oluremi Tinubu hanging back. Favour began speaking before the door had even fully shut. "This is a total surprise, Your Honour. I was given no notice that this was going to happen today."

"Neither was I given a notice that you had a witness." Rose said slowly.

"Would you like a recess, Samuel?" Judge Vincent asked.

"No," She muttered. "But a little more courtesy would have been nice."

As if she hadn't spoken, Rose slapped the waiver down in front of the Judge. "I told him I don't want him to take the stand, and that it could ruin his defense."

Judge Vincent glanced at Senator Oluremi Tinubu. "Mr Tinubu, has your lawyer explained the full ramifications of taking the stand means for you in your case."

"He has, Your Honour."

"And you signed this form here saying that your lawyer did indeed explain this to you?"

"I have."

"All right." The Judge shrugged. He led the small entourage back into the courtroom.

"The defense." He said, calls Senator Oluremi Tinubu to the stand.

Rose moved in front of the defense table, advancing on her client. She could see the jury, sitting on the edge of their seats.

"Senator Oluremi Tinubu," She said. "Are you aware you are on trial for the kidnap and attempted murder of Micheal Samuel."

"Yes."

"So what will you say in your defense."

"Prince Gabriel escaped from the prison the same day Micheal got the notes. How can it be true that I paid him to do that. Lawyer Samuel said he got the note around after 8 in the morning while the prison says he escaped 6AM that same morning. I can't possibly have a criminal's contact to call him to do that job and I can't also know when he escaped for me to call him. Or if he had my number he won't even tell me about Micheal Samuel because he can't possibly know him while in prison."

With some many intense moment. Judge Vincent knew he was lying, that he was sure of. He turned to one of the jurors, an elderly man wearing a stained broadcloth button - down. "Mr Isaac, have you reached a verdict?"

"We have, Your Honour."

"And is this verdict unanimous."

"It is."

At the Judge's nod, the clerk of the court approached the jury box and took a folded piece of paper from the foreman. He walked slowly - snail's pace, I thought, back to the Judge and handed it to him. The Judge nodded, and then sent the note back to the foreman.

Judge Charles Vincent glanced up, face blank. "Will the defendant please rise?"

Senator Oluremi Tinubu had every intention of standing up, but his legs wouldn't work. They lay puddled beneath the bench, his feet block - heavy and immobile. Rose looked down and her eyebrows. Get up.

"I can't." Senator Oluremi Tinubu whispered, and felt his attorney grab him beneath the armpit and haul him upright.

His heart was pounding wildly, and his hands felt so leaden he could not even clap them, no matter how hard it tried. It was as if all of a sudden this body did not belong to him anymore.

He could sense everything in that instant; the smell of soap that had been used to clean the woodwork in the courtroom the night before, the drop of sweat that streaked between his shoulder blades, the tap of the court reporter's shoe on the edge of her work station.

"In the matter of The State Of Lagos versus Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the count of kidnap and attempted murder, how do you find?"

The foreman looked at the slip of paper he held.

"Not guilty." He read.

Favour looked at Rose and Senator Oluremi Tinubu seeing an astonished smile splitting their faces.

The court broke out in rapturous roar, people were literally angry at the court's decision.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu stepped outside the courtroom heading to his car, his security men making way for him from the media as a gunshot was shot to his forehead.

The question now is, Who shot him?