JUDGEMENT DAY: ORI YEYE N'IMOGUN
JUDGEMENT DAY
ORI YEYE N'IMOGUN
The court room was quiet. People spoke in hushed tones. The
three accused persons standing trial looked furtive and apprehensive. Two
policemen and some prison officials wielding handcuffs created more tension.
Friends and family whisper in the gallery. One old woman kept fighting back
tears while a teenage girl tried to console her.
"Court!!!"
The court clerk brought everyone to attention.
The judge, a middle aged woman sauntered in with her wig and
gown. "You may sit", the clerk bellowed with an air of authority.
Complete silence enveloped the courtroom.
"Case number....."
The lawyers made appearances. The three accused were led
into the cubicle.
IT IS JUDGEMENT DAY
Heartbeats raced to frenzy.
Her Lordship went on in that scaringly cool voice about the
legal history of the case. Only the counsels seemed to understand the language.
People waited patiently for the only thing that mattered on
a day like this.
THE JUDGEMENT
After so much apprehension, the judge spewed it out.
Two of the accused persons, Jude and Adekola were found
guilty on all four counts. They were handed sentences up to twenty years in
jail. Tears and cries came from the gallery.
"Court!!", the clerk brought silence and sobriety
back.
The third accused was soaking wet in his own sweat. His own
breath was suffocating. He didn't know what was coming next.
The judge went into another round of legalistic rhetoric.
At last it came.
"The third accused person, Mr Ade Adejare is hereby
discharged and acquitted.
Adejare fainted. The old woman knelt down thanking her God.
"Court!!!"
"Court!!!
Adejare worked in one of the big multinationals in their Ibadan office as the chief accountant. He was hard working and diligent to a fault.
His bosses loved him. All bosses love such people. He would
never soil his hands in anything shady.
He was also a good boss. He cared about the welfare of his
subordinates.
Apart from the office, Adejare cared about everyone around
him. Friends and family turned to him for things ranging from personal upkeep
to students fees and employment.
His cousin was billed for a job interview at the head office
of that same multinational. A recommendation from Adejare would make a lot of
difference. He needed documents to attach to the recommendation letter.
But alas, he got the information late. And the interview was
on Monday in Lagos. No mobile phones then.
So on a Sunday evening, off went Adejare to the office to
get the needed documents for his cousin.
Police was called in. The first suspect was Adejare. Yes it
was logical. What was he doing in the office a few hours before the robbers came?
He was arrested and detained. A lot of trouble came and for
more than three months, Adejare was yoked with hardened criminals in police
cell. Horrible experience it was for a pious man.
Then something happened, two new people were arrested. Jude,
the company security man and his friend.
They did it.
They confessed to the crime. Relief you might think.
But hell no.
They told the police the accountant was involved.
More trouble.
Adejare was arraigned for armed robbery.
But the police continued investigations.
An inmate while in custody told a police officer he heard
Jude telling his partner in crime they could get off light if they implicated
Adejare. The bosses loved him and he's a native, a son of the soil.
Jude's criminal mind also felt it will teach Oga a lesson
not to stress himself so hard blocking loopholes where they made money.
The awaiting trial prison inmate was the last witness in
court.
The witness confessed to his own crime but felt he should
not watch an innocent man convicted for a crime he knew nothing about.
His testimony saved Adejare.
Wonder why I know so much about this? I deliberately kept
this till the end. Adejare's teenage son was sitting quietly on the other side
of the old woman. THAT WAS ME. And it was my 18th birthday.
Ori yeye n'imogun, t'aise lo po. There are so many heads of
innocent people at the guillotine.
It is easy to presume every person you see on parade as
criminals actually committed those crimes. Not even all convicts are guilty.
Save for the prison inmate's evidence, Adejare would have been convicted. Mind
you armed robbery in those days attracted capital punishment.
God knows what would have become of me.
Never bend rules for anybody. Going to the office on a
Sunday evening was wrong. May I also say here that my uncle was so 'busy' with
his new job that he only paid a single visit all through the ordeal.
There are so many Judes in life who would bring you down for
being so right and upright. When you discover them, don't just plug the holes
and still keep them. Get rid of them.
Some presumed friends, colleagues, members of clubs and
associations would concoct lies and shenanigans just to bring you down. You don’t
need to have done anything wrong or offended anybody. Your offence may be doing
the right things right.
Someone may be offended you know the ropes when others don’t.
And lastly,
Like the prisoner who recommended Joseph, there is always a
saving grace planted in an unusual place. The righteous may face tribulations
from the wicked. But, “Olooto ko nii ku si ipo ika”.
Just do what you know is right always.
That could only have been God.
That was almost 46 years ago. My father died in November
2022 at the ripe age of 96.
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