Love in devilish places - Episode 3

Lawless Lawyer and

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The lovely black hostess gave a curtsey nod as Max and his partner stepped out of the plane. The continental dishes and wonderful hospitality of the hostesses made Virgin Airways his number one flying company although Barrister Obiora, his partner thought otherwise.

"You just like the sound of the V-word." he'd constantly tease him.

"Nah. I don't do kids." He'd reply.

He buttoned his blazer looking all professional again . His gold cuff links were the distinctive item on his black dressing.

Smart look.

The scorching Abuja sun was enough to make one wish ceilings were installed in the sky. Worse was when his partner had an extra luggage or two for delivery. Luckily their chauffeur was already in the parking lot.

~~~~

Maxwell went over his briefing again pausing to give his partner a "yeah" or "okay" now and then.

The flight to Abuja had been so relaxing that he had forgotten how much this particular case needed utmost attention. He had done some underground research to strengthen his claim. His client was next and though he had faith in himself he couldn't say so for the witness he had provided.

"It's time." Obiora stood up with the swiftness of a horse.

They walked to the courtroom acknowledging the other lawyers with a nod. Sitting on their allocated seats he whispered to his client, "You will not mess this up again

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. My cases never gets adjourned twice. Understood?"

Mrs Nnamdi nodded in understanding. If all woman were like her he'd raise two companies in three months but money wasn't the only thing in the game. He had a reputation to uphold or so it would seem.

"All rise." The Bailiff voice jolted him out of his reviere as feet shuffled against the floor.

"Case one. Mr Usman Abdullahi Vs Mrs Sharon Nnamdi.

He walked up to the judge giving his signature smile, it always worked when most of the jury were women. After the oath was taken he went straight to his questions.

"Mr Usman Abdullahi, you were at G&G logistics on the 5th of April when Chief Nnamdi your boss was assassinated correct?" Mr Usman fidgeted excessively under his compelling gaze.

"Yes...yes sir. But I was in the electronics room sir." He looked anywhere but the figure in front of him.

"But you were not at the crime scene?"

"No sir. Though I noticed all the connections went dead." He tried keeping a straight face to no avail.

Max swallowed a grunt, he wanted him to speak up and get done with it. The faster he opened up the faster the trial and the sooner he'll get home to his library. John Grisham's The Brethren was his current read and he couldn't wait to see more of the happenings in trumble.

"So what happened next?" he resisted the urge to look bored.

"I ran out of the office. I wanted to take the elevator to the fourth floor but like I said all connections went dead," he was cooperating now and Max counted the hours it would take for him to get home. "so I took the stairs, two steps at a time to the fourth floor. But on getting to the office..." his voice quaked a little, barely anyone could here him as the crowd scooted to the edge of their seats.

Damn suspense.

"...he was gone." he whispered with a low gaze.

"I didn't catch that."

"He was gone." He shouted. The crowd burst into an outrage.

"Order in my court," The judge's voice drowned theirs ensuring immediate response.

"I have no further questions my lord," he concluded making a brief eye contact with the jury.

Barrister Coker rose from his position and stood up straight. "I call Mrs Sharon Nnamdi to the witness box."

She stepped out patting her headgear which hadn't move its place.

Women.

"Are you a Christian or a Muslim?" the clerk inquired.

"Christian."

She took her oath of promise facing the Barrister once more to begin her trial.

"Mrs Sharon Nnamdi, on the 5th of April precisely, 2.30pm you had stepped out of the complex which your husband was shot ten minutes later. Am I correct?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"And why may I ask? Or you believe in coincidence because..."

"Objection!" Max shouted.

"On what grounds do you make your objection Barrister Maxwell?" asked the judge.

"My client had been rushing to an important meeting with the Douglases. She was behind time time my lord, hence the haste."

A frown came on Coker's face.

"The Douglases you say." inquired the Judge, fixating her eyes on the woman in the box again.

"Yes my lord. The Douglases had been approaching a reasonable contract with G&G and the proceedings from the previous meeting was encrusted to Mr Usman, the finance HOD." This earned murmuring amongst the crowd.

"And what connection does finance have to do with electronics Mr Usman?"

The buzzing noise from the curious crowd escalated as the weight of the information dawned on them.

Maxwell smiled at the ruckus created, he had managed to nab the missing link to the story few minutes into the session. Usman had slipped when he disclosed his location, the electronics department was on the first floor and finance on the fourth.

"No sir you see, my boss had instructed me go with his wife but on getting to the elevator it had stopped working and..."

He eyeballed the opposing lawyer, it was obvious the case was won. Giving himself a pat on the back he remembered something.

"My lord allow me to present a witness."

"You may."

"I call Madam Lucy to the stand."

A middle aged woman assisted by an officer walked slowly to the stand.

"Madam Lucy here was an eyewitness to the planning of the operation by Mr Usman and an accomplice. The latter had come up with a proposal to taking care of the contract for..."

"Objection my lord." Coker interrupted. "Is the woman slow of speech or tongue tied?"

"Yes Barrister. She's tongue tied and nothing but the owner of a local restaurant. Fortunately her predicament made her appear valueless to the suspects which proved useful."

"Then I'd have the interpreter speak for her. Barrister Coker you're not to interrupt the session again." The Judge sternly warned.

The interpreter was called upon and it was revealed that the woman had actually recorded their conversation on the new smartphone her daughter gifted her.

An officer presented a plastic bag containing the smartphone to the jury. The recording was played via a cable installed for audio purposes.

They all gasped after hearing the recording. The voice was clearly that of Mr Usman and Bayo Douglas the miscreant of the family. They had really been strategising as Maxwell had said.

"Thank you, madam, that is all for now." He shook her hand.

"Coker," the judge said, breaking him out of his daze, "Do you have any question for the witness?"

He shook his head.

Max went to the front of court to make his closing statement. "As you can see, fellow citizens, Mr Usman Abdullahi and his accomplice are responsible for the murder of Chief Nnamdi.

Yes, Mrs Nnamdi stepped out few minutes to the assassination but she was going for a meeting, with people as witnesses to that. And that is her alibi. Mr Usman on the other hand, a finance HOD was in the electronics department of the building which is the the first floor. Now with all due respect I'd ask who in the midst of a black out or dead connection as he said would hear a gunshot down from an enclosed room in the fourth floor. And not only that, had the intuition to go to that particular office. I throw that question to you, jury of the court." He took a bow going back to his seat.

Coker was next for his closing statement, though his was brief and wasn't as strong as Max's.

~~~~

The jury came back out after ten minutes. The vote was unanimous.

The judge spoke once the crowd silenced. "Members of the jury, have you reached a verdict?"

The jury spokesman stood and said, "Yes, your Lordship, we have."

She then asked, "Members of the Jury, on the Case of Mr Usman Abdullahi vs. Mrs Sharon Nnamdi, what do you say?"

The Jury Spokesman cleared his throat before pronouncing, "Your Lordship, the members of this Jury find the accused GUILTY of murder."

Loud conversation burst out within the room. The judge had to bang her gavel several times before there was peace again. "Order, order in my courtroom." She said in a stern voice.

"It is time." The judge said this statement with finality. "I will now pass sentence of the verdict. I agree with the jury on the verdict of guilt, and hereby sentence Mr Usman Abdullahi and his accomplice Bayo Douglas to life inprisonsoment, without parole. Mr Bayo is incapacitated as it is but will be relocated to the prison yard on recovery. Members of the Jury, this Court dismisses you and thank you for a job well done."

"All rise." the bailiff said, as the Judge left the bench with others standing.

Now we know why he's a top notch lawyer. He's got the brains to suit his name. 

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