This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.




THE PEOPLE VS THE DEVIL



Written by
BEASTKING ⛤⛤⛤

December 2074

I was in court for the biggest case ever recorded in history, The people vs The Devil. Everyone has basically addressed "The Devil" as one of the biggest cause of mayhem and here he was in court to defend himself with his attorney BARRISTER FESTUS OBI (SAN) and BARRISTER AYO AFOLABI (SAN). The people also hired some of the best team in the country to fight for them BARRISTER Emmanuel OJO (SAN) and BARRISTER SAMUEL ROBERTS (SAN).




I woke up early as 3am so I could get to the court premises as early as possible, It was the battle of the Titans. I needed to be at the gate early in order to gain access into the court room because everyone in the city was going to be attendance. I got to the gate as early as 5am and I was surprised at the crowd already formed in front of the court house, everyone wanted to witness the sentence of the devil. As soon as the court house opened around 10am, I had to go through the eye of a needle to gain access into the courtroom through the large crowd of people, to see the face of the man who has tormented most of us all our lives the man behind every downfall. I found myself a comfortable spot in the middle roll and watched as others struggled to get a seat in the front and back roll. 15minute later, Devil was dragged into court and lead to the dock and immediately everybody started shouting and ranting out vile words towards him; it was very obvious Devil has greatly wronged the people. I looked to my right and saw a young woman crying as spoke some words I could not comprehend, to my left, a man was standing and point accusing fingers at the devil and beside him, a woman was wailing and holding her child who looked very pale. I looked at the faces of everyone in the courtroom and also judging from their outburst, they all had a thing or two against "The Devil" .

Who is the devil?

UCMax1:
Who is the devil?

Sorry for replying you late, The Devil is the actual real devil we all know.

The clerk rose and announced "may all rise before the judge" and then came in the most feared judge in the country she had no bad records. Even the toughest politicians couldn't bribe her and yet they still couldn't kill her, JUDGE BRIDGET WILLIAMS, one of the most seasoned and respectable judge in the country. It is recorded that times without number, she has been offered top political appointments but she refused them all. It is still a wonder why she never accepted any of the political appointments, but many reporters attribute it to the fact that she likes to lead a simple and strict lifestyle. Immediately I saw her, I knew the case was going to be a free and fair one; she is that reliable.

The case was announced by the clerk
"case No. 17PTD The people vs The Devil". BARRISTER OBI was the first to rise, he introduced himself as the prosecuting attorney and also introduced his co-prosecuting attorney, BARRISTER AFOLABI. BARRISTER OJO also rose and introduced himself as the Defense attorney and also introduced his co-defense attorney BARRISTER ROBERTS.

Barrister OBI rose again as he began to state the people’s’ complaints. He argued that the Devil is a soul deceiver that deceived people into committing sin and then causing evil to befall the. He was accused of using the people’s weakness against them and the cause of every misfortune in the world today. He was accused of making people lie against one another, steal and kill one another.
He was also accused for making one list after each other and encouraging fornication especially among the youth and adultery among married couples. He was also accused of luring men with money and build hate within their hearts against one another. He was branded no good and undeserving to live among the people.


Barrister OJO immediately stood up and objected to the accusation. The judge sustained , it was unexpected because the people were really happy with the claims Barrister OBI was reading against the Devil and soon started murmuring as the defense attorney spoke. The court became so rowdy that the court clerk had to call the court to order. Barrister OJO argued that the prosecuting counsel lacked basic evidence to attack his client which such accusation and therefore his claims were null and void.
The court became noisy immediately and this started upsetting the Judge, because the people wouldn’t become quiet even after the court clerk tried to restore order to the court. The judge threatened to adjourn the case if peace wasn’t restored to her courtroom immediately or she proceeds with the case in an empty room. We are all matured people let us all be warned, Prosecuting counsel, you may proceed. Barrister OBI continued and asked if he could call on his first witness, which the judge agreed to and he called Mr Taju to the witness stand. He introduced his first witness as a coco farmer who had lost everything he had to "The Devil". Mr Taju was asked to place his right hand on the Bible to take an oat of telling the truth while in the witness stand, and as he recited the words, my mind pondered on the credibility of the oat taking, I wondered if some thunder was going to magically strike whoever told a lie or these things were just done to psychological compel the witnesses to tell the truth. I jolted out of my subconsciousness as Barrister OBI walked towards Mr Taju and asked him to describe to the court his financial status before his encounter with The Devil. Mr Taju recounted how he was a very wealthy man and how he lost everything to the Devil. The Devil took everything he said, I was rich enough to feed a whole community for 40years without skipping a meal. Everyone marvelled, a woman beside me said this Devil is really wicked. How he was asked, a mysterious fire engulfed and destroyed my refinery which was the start of many misfortune that befall me, he answered. Barrister OBI further asked him if he had further backing to his claims and he replied stating that the holy book in First Peter Chapter 5:8 backs him up on this. There was no time for me to quickly bring out my phone to check but I know it talked about
"The Devil prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour"
Then I heard Objection my lord, someone behind me shouted not again but it was sustained by the judge.
That's all for now my Lord, Barrister OBI said as he approached his seat.
Barrister OJO stood up immediately and asked Mr Taju if he was a believer or not, he answered him that he was a devoted Christian, so you know lying is a sin he asked, Mr Taju nodded in agreement. So was the Devil ever employed by you, or ever worked in your refinery? he asked;
before today, have you ever had form of contact with the Devil? Mr Taju replied that he has never been in contact with the Devil nor had he employed or had the Devil work in his refinery.
So why accuse a man you don't know?Barrister OJO asked with a smirk on his face. He walked up to the address the people in the court; This man here has no proof for his claims against my client except for the Holy books, isn’t this ridiculous? Everyone was shocked at the brilliance in the question he asked and at that point, I knew this was not going to be an easy case. I looked up to see if I could read any expression on the face of the judge to give me an inclination on how the case was going, but she kept an expressionless stare with a hand under her chin and her glasses resting comfortably on the bridge of her nose. I was beginning to get apprehensive on behalf of the people because without substantial proof, the judge will rule on favor of the Devil.
Objection my lord, the defense counsel is leading the witness.
Objection overruled, you may proceed defense counsel the judge said, interrupting Barrister OBI, to the dismay of the people.
I smiled to myself maybe because I finally saw Judge Bridget WILLIAMS in action for the first time or maybe because I wanted the Plaintiffs to bring forth strong compelling proofs and witnesses against the Devil if they hope to win this case.
I asked myself, who was I in support of the Devil or the People? I thought deeply and I realized I just wanted a fair hearing.

Barrister OJO continued; My Lord, I put to you that the evidence brought forward by barrister OBI and his witness Mr Taju are baseless and should be rendered null and void by this honorable court. Haaaa!!!!the people exclaimed, this is getting interesting I thought to myself. That's all for now My Lordship, barrister OJO said, returning to his seat.
I tried to study barrister OBI's expression to see if he was angry or sad at his witness but he wasn't showing any sign of it. He stoodp up again, not looking defeated but rather confident like he had more coming for the Devil.
My lord, he said; I will like to present to you witness number two, a six man gang of armed robbers who have been screaming and crying that it is the work of the Devil that led them to it. So they are here to testify against him.
You may proceed the judge said, I could feel the tension in the air, I was wondering how all this was going to turn out. I knew barrister OBI wasn’t going to back down in the face of defeat and he was ready to beat barrister OJO to this case, he looked stolid. Barrister OBI started off in a very unusual manner, he first said a quick line out the bible (The Lord is my strength) after the gang all took their oat.
What made you all to start robbing people off their money and belongings, he asked the robbers. One of them immediately broke into tears as he explained himself, saying it was the Devil that led me to it. Everyone gave the pity sound to show how they felt when he mentioned the Devil. He continued; I was a good boy, very obedient, dutiful and respectful. I loved the people dearly and would always go to Church every Sunday with my family . Everything changed when the devil caused my parents and siblings to be involved in a ghastly motor accident that caused them their lives and rendered my an orphan at an early age. This affected my life as it crumbled my dreams and aspirations for life. I had just completed my SSCE exams and was awaiting my result. I couldn't feed nor fend for myself, my family was my only source of livelihood but the devil snatched them away from me. Feeding became very difficult and I started to feed from hand to mouth. When the Devil noticed I was between a rock and a hard place, he came visiting and deceived me. How? barrister OBI asked; the Devil came to me as a friend he replied. Can you please explain further to this honorable court, barrister OBI urged him on. Just like it was recorded in the book of Genesis, the Devil came to Eve in the form of a serpent and deceived her, so did he come to me but this type in a human form and ruined my soul he replied.