Discharged and Acquitted!

Some eleven years ago, a colleague and a dear friend of my boss, now a Magistrate, asked my boss to take up a rather interesting case.

A Prison Warden had been accused of murder and was facing trial. Warden was now an inmate and remained an inmate, with no bail for over eleven years. Young fella in his early 20s at the time.

The case immediately went viral. It was published by most newspapers and even television and radio outfit were not left out of the race to publish the juicy story of how a Prison Warden became an intimate who was probably facing the hangman's noose.

I met the case in the office when I joined the office. And after the case took some weird back and forth, we wrapped it up two years ago.

Interestingly, the judgement only came in today after many, many dates were fixed for a verdict without the judgment coming. It was very traumatic for the client. For us, too. Like playing real-life Russian Roulette with a bazooka.

The case was actually quite bad for the prosecution. A murder case, even with solid evidence in the prosecutor's kitty will naturally be fought hard. The alternative for the accused is to submit to death BY HANGING.

In this case, there was a Solid Alibi for the accused.

Simply put, he was on duty as a warden on the day of the alleged murder and therefore it would have been highly improbable that he would have left his duty at a prison yard and go on a frolic outside the prison and still manage to kill someone and come back to his post. This was never investigated at the early possible stage, even if it was raised early enough and had satisfied all the requirements of our case law.

Despite many odds stacked against them, the Prosecution lawyers put up a solid fight. But a bad case is a bad case.

This evening, the long-awaited judgment was read and the verdict was: DISCHARGED AND ACQUITTED!

The client went home and will be sleeping in his own bed tonight.

I'm thoroughly exhausted but I think having this case finally resolved in favour of our client is sufficient boost for my boss to party hard tonight and just be happy for the chap. Well! I am forbidden from drinking alcohol at the moment, so I will celebrate with a pair of fine succulent boobs and a well-rounded ass. Something must kill a man, right?

There's light at the end of every tunnel. Or at least usually. But it usually requires the dexterity to put up a good fight, a good measure of hope in God, even in a hopeless situation and the strong desire to stand strong and not give up even when your legs are wobbling.

Seven wasted years in detention is good for nobody. But nothing beats freedom.

This calls for thanksgiving, right? So let's keep the fire burning this weekend.

Shared with the requisite permission.

Shalom.

CC:

Braft
Cutehector
Klass99

Hmm

Nice one Litigator.


Invite me to come parry with you. This calls for a celebration.

So, there's no compensation?

Well, in Nigeria, in all you do, avoid anything cops and court.

Good job sir