FELICIA'S POV

Four hours gone and the trial was yet to start. I kept turning around checking to see if Philip had arrived.
The defense counsel had all their witnesses and they looked so organized.

Chief Emeshile sat in the opposite direction and had his blue agbada tucked to his front.

I kept turning and turning, hoping Philip would show up like he promised.

"Where's it, I need your phone"  attorney Natalie said after a gentle tap

"My phone, oh yeah" I said unrelaxed.
I brought out my cell phone and with her instructions I went to the recordings.

Empty

Empty

Empty

"What do you mean there's nothing there? She asked just as shocked as I was

"My God" I said holding my chest

"Relax and think. The Judge has arrived and we have less than twenty minutes to get everything ready and present this case"

"I know, I know. It was there yesterday.. or no. I didn't check my phone yesterday
But on the day of  Princess's burial, I saw it there. Yes, I even listened to it"

"Damn. This is our only evidence"

"How about the texts?

"We have soft copies of the text but it doesn't have anything to do with these criminals. God please" The attorney said hitting her forehead.

"Okay, so how about the guy who was with you when Roger confessed? Of course he's supposed to be here. He's a witness" The attorney asked

"Yes Phillip. Philip. He's supposed to be here too but his phone is switched off. Maybe he has a low battery but he'll be here soon"

"He better be. Relax and let's get this over" She said and squeezed my hands before leaving.

      CALEB'S POV

I've never been this scared my entire life. The lawyer, in person of James Okafor Esq has been paid to defend me in court.
Chief was here thirty minutes ago, and he assured me that I would get out of here so I shouldn't bother. I really hope he meant it when he said the judiciary would not give a fair judgement for my sake.

Roger and Kendrick have been brought in as witnesses and I think that's the worst thing to have been done. These boys might say a wrong thing in fear that would....

ALL RISE!

FELICIA'S POV

  * * * * *
Judge ÷ OPENING STATEMENT!

Attorney Natalie stood up and went in front of the Judge.

Persecution counsel ÷ Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury, today we're going to proove without a reasonable doubt that this young man here, Caleb Emeshile and his friends Mercilessly raped late Princess Adebowale into unconsciousness, which later led to the untimely death of the deceased.
The accused, paid his friend who happened to be in a romantic relationship with the deceased, to bring her to his party. And there, he drugged and had her gang raped.
Not only that, The evidence will show us all the light of this case, and the motive behind his actions will tell us why he did it.
Your honor, there's a motive. Would the defense counsel want to deny the fact that the accused made passes at the deceased? And when she turned him down on several counts, he got offended and sought a way to get back at her?
She went to that party in the company of her boyfriend, Roger who is a friend to Caleb. A text was received from the victim which depicted that she was intoxicated and in danger.
And so, it's up to you to Show us what happens to people who break the law and that nobody is above the law.

Judge ÷ The defense Counsel, Opening statement.

Mr James ÷ Ultimately, it's what you determine to be the facts that will be important and all of us can live with that. You are empowered to do Justice.

Your Honor, The allegations against my client here has not been proven without reasonable doubt. No physical evidence linking to the crime, no witnesses, Just the allegations which is entirely based on assumptions.

My Client has all hands pointing to him because he was the host of that party. He however, is a young man with a promising Future who can actually get whoever he wants, so why her? I mean, what possible advantage could he expect from raping the victim which led to her death?
Hopefully these discussions are going to be helpful to you in trying to arrive at a decision in this case where you don't compromise.

Judge ÷ Call your first Witness

Miss Natalie ÷ The persecution counsel calls on Miss Felicia Nyemike.

My heart skipped four times in a row when I heard my name. It was my first time being in a court, and even a witness box.

You swear to tell the truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the truth under the penalty of pejury?

"I do"

Miss Natalie ÷ Tell us briefly about your relationship with the deceased.

"Princess is... sorry, was my best friend"

Miss Natalie ÷ How long have you all known?

"All my life"

Miss Natalie÷ In that period of knowing her, did she ever get drunk or take drugs?

"No"

Mr James÷ From your reply to the question on your closesness, it shows that you had a good knowledge of the happenings in her life. Right Miss Felicia?

"Yes"

Mr James ÷ So did she ever mention anything about Caleb making passes at her?

"Yes, twice that I can recall"

Mr James ÷ And did she say anything about him attempting to sleep with her?

"No"

Mr James÷ Did she call you that night on the 6th of July 2012?

"No, she texted me"

Mr James ÷ What did the message depict

"That she was in danger and not in her right state of mind"

Mr James÷ Did she by chance mention any name to you?

"No"

Mr James ÷ No further questions your honor.

Miss Natalie÷ your Honor, my witness here, was in Mr Roger's house with the company of Mr Philip on 30th July 2012, where Mr Roger confessed to Mr Caleb being the culprit and he...

Mr James ÷ Objection your honor!

Judge ÷ Overruled

Miss Natalie ÷ Thank you your honor.
So he confessed to Mr Caleb being the culprit and he was watching out for them. She had their conversation recorded but unfortunately, it got tampered with.

Thank you Miss Felicia Nyemike, you may return to your seat.

Mr James÷ Why bring up something that can't be backed by anything? If your Witness claims that She recorded a conversation like that, then she should provide it, and where's the young man in whose company she went there?

Miss Natalie ÷ The persecution counsel calls on Doctor Leah Aliko.

Your honor this is the doctor who attended to the deceased immediately she was rushed into the hospital, and so she is fully aware of the critical state the victim was in upon arrival.

Miss Natalie÷ Doctor Leah, how bad was her state

Doctor Leah÷ Too bad

Miss Natalie÷ The medical reports shows she had a tear in her vagina, and substances of  Rohypnol Alongside Alcohol was said to have been in her private parts. How possible could this have been?

Doctor Leah÷ It's rather safe to say it was a gruesome sight. The tear on her Vagina could only have been caused if she was gang raped.

"Approximately for how long?

Doctor Leah÷ Three hours at most. the tear couldn't have just been there for only a few minutes or by one person. I'm certain she had been forced to take different sizes in her.

Mr James÷ And was there anything on her that could lead us to the culprit?

Doctor Leah÷ No

Miss Natalie÷ Objection!

Judge ÷ overruled

Mr James÷ What time was she rushed in?

Doctor Leah÷ As early as 4am

Mr James ÷ No further questions your honor.

Miss Natalie ÷ Your honor, According to the information the accused presented to the detectives, The party started by 7pm until 2am. The hospital where she was rushed to, recorded she was brought in by 4am.

With time being a factor, The party literally got heated up by approximately 11pm  and that was when the already drunk victim was drugged.
The drugs found in her system Rohypnol is a date-rape sedative that is ten times more powerful than Valium. That drug alone, is powerful enough to take a life. The drug should've taken twenty minutes to have full effects on the victim and by 11:20 she was taken to the crime scene and there she was gang raped.

The tear in her vagina shows she was molested by not one person and for three hours?
From 11:20 to 2:20 the rape was ongoing. So until the party was over, He and those men took turns on her.

Mr James÷  The defense counsel calls on Mr Kennedy Taylor.

Your honor, here in court is an alibi in person of Mr Kennedy Taylor, The manager of the Trapezium Club where the party in question was held. And on his part, he has said that my client was with him in the hours of 11pm settling bills. His record has a time evidence.

Miss Natalie÷ how long did the said settlement of bills take?

"Mr Kennedy Taylor÷ uhm, an hour?

Miss Natalie÷ an hour, I see

Mr James ÷ objection your Lord!
The persecution counsel is to ask questions and not make the witnesses question their replies

Judge÷ Continue Miss Natalie

Miss Natalie÷ no further questions your honor

Judge÷The defense Counsel, Closing Arguments

Mr James ÷ let me ask each of you a question, Have you ever in your life been falsely accused of something? Have you ever had to sit there and take it and watch the proceedings?
Have you had to wait, wait and wait All the while knowing you didn't do it? All you could do during such moments was to maintain your dignity right?

Knowing you're innocent but remembering always that all you're left with after a crisis is your conduct during those times.
So that's another reason why we are proud to represent this man who has maintained his innocence and has conducted himself with dignity through out these proceedings.

Now, in this case of rape and murder which is a very very serious case. It is sad that in our Society today, A large number of girls are raped each year. Violence unfortunately, has become a way of life in Nigeria, and so when this sort of Tragedy happens, it becomes the business of the police to step up, step in and take charge of the matter. A good efficient, competent and non corrupt police department will effectively and carefully set the business of investigating the rape and murder. They won't rush into judgement, They won't be bound by an obsession to to win at all cost instead they will try to apprehend the Culprits.

In this case, the Victim's family had an absolute right to demand exactly just what they demanded. but in this case, There was another agenda.
The Nigerian police were more concerned with their own images, The publicity that might be generated from the case than they were in doing professional police work.

Because of their nonchalant attitude towards the case, they ignored obvious clues. They didn't pick up any paper at the scene with prints on it.
Because of their vanity, they soon pretended to solve this crime and here, they implicated an innocent man. They never ever looked for anyone else.
If they had done so, Mr Caleb Emeshile would not be here.
Standing on the ground that of a truth the victim was raped, but my client wasn't the rapist because there has been no solid linking evidence presented to this court today to prove me otherwise.
So your honor, I'm asking that evidence that establishes his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt must be provided first. I appeal to you and I claim, from you a verdict of not guilty.

Judge÷ Closing argument, Persecution counsel

Miss Natalie÷ My learned Friend has made an appeal to you for sympathy. I am sure we all feel sympathy for a man in the position of the accused, but you have taken a solemn oath to try this case on the evidence, and you must not be swayed by sympathy.
We all know the lady of Justice is seen wearing a blind fold and holding the scales of Justice in her hands.
The deceased has been murdered and all her dreams cut short. Whose child would be in that place and be happy?
Nobody, I tell you. So Justice has to prevail. Thank you your honor.

The end of the arguments came, and everyone maintained a level of decorum waiting for the final verdict.
Despite not having the recordings, I must say Attorney Natalie did a very nice job there, but the other man was smart too.
God please, at the end of the day, Let Justice prevail.

* *
ORDER!

Judge ÷ Witnesses have been brought, The mind of the counsels have been spoken, the facts have been brought and in the case of the people versus Caleb Emeshile, The court hereby grants the defendant's motion.
The case is dismissed for lack of evidence and all charges against Mr Caleb Emeshile is dimissed.

ALL RISE!