A Dirty Game

Chapter Seven

49 Seven he court was ready to hear from the alleged criminals. It was March. The mayor and his entire family were still behind, but the court was already jamb to full capacity. Many prominent members of the opposition parties were present in court. Before the mayor’s arrival, examination of the defendants had begun. During preliminary investigations, the accused persons had admitted that they killed the victim but said nothing of the reason d’être. Thus, convicting them wasn’t any big deal. The people were eager to know the reason for such a dramatic tragedy. The mayor entered the courtroom bent with humble steps as a sort of respect for the state. The defendants occupied the first bench as if they were actors watched by the audience and the legal personnel in mumbling debates. Mayor Foti had not recognised Obi when he entered the courtroom. The police had deformed Obi’s face. Bandages covered his forehead. ‘Now,’ continued the judge, ‘Obi, tell us why you people decided to kill him.’ At this time, Foti blinked several times, stretching his head forward when he heard the name Obi. Still, he was not convinced. ‘Speak, Obi,’ continued the Judge. ‘You’re the eldest in this group… Why did you decide to kill him?’ ‘I didn’t kill him,’ said Obi. ‘Ngo did.’ The mayor was moved. He was convinced that it was the Obi he had contracted with to kill Tanga. The mayor’s body convulsed. As Obi talked, he turned his head to look at the mayor. There was a lot of concern. The court was in a fumbling watch. The Judge looked at them in confusion. ‘Ngo, why did you decide to gun Williams? You did, right?’ ‘It was a mistake…’ T 50 ‘Mistake?’ asked the Judge with more concern. Ngo, appearing wimpy, was silent. Rather, he turned his head and looked at his mother, a co-defendant. Her charge was that she was an accessory to the crime. On her part, Grace looked at her son and her tears refreshed. ‘Did you say mistake?’ ‘Yes, Sir.’ ‘What do you mean? Explain to the court.’ ‘We thought it was Tanga. Obi cued me. Then, I did shoot. I am so sorry, Sir.’ Tanga was present in court that day. He had been jotting on a paper in his file. When he heard his name, he suddenly stopped breathing. The file dropped from his hands and his mouth went ajar. The Judge smartly jotted a few points down and asked again. ‘Who is Tanga?’ he asked with his ears up this time. ‘He is a journalist, Sir.’ ‘Do you know him?’ ‘Yes, Sir.’ ‘Do you know him in person?’ ‘Yes, Sir.’ Foti collapsed at the right side of the hall. The scene suddenly turned baffling as the Judge ordered that they rush him to the hospital. The police scrambled to give him assistance and the court was in a buzz of voices but the clerk shouted for order. Tanga chilled. He leaned on the wall chained in thoughts. Indeed, it was a starkly and dreading revelations. He was well known and his presence anywhere was never obscured. The Judge caught eyes with Tanga, and his pen tapping on his beard. Over the frame of his glasses, he still kept looking at him. ‘Please, Sir,’ said the Judge to Tanga, ‘can you come forward if you don’t mind?’ 51 He never spoke a word but walked to the front. This time, his eyes focused on the murderers. ‘Ngo, do you know this man?’ ‘Yes, Sir, it is the man I was asked to fire at.’ ‘Who asked you to fire?’ ‘Obi whistled and I did it.’ ‘Why did he ask you to shoot?’ ‘I don’t know.’ At this level, he kept quiet. His eyes focused on his toes. The judge shouted at him. ‘If you don’t want to talk, you will go to prison. You just wanted to kill him without a single reason?’ ‘Yes, Sir. I was just to fire at him and get my share of the money.’ ‘Share of money from where?’ ‘From Obi.’ ‘… Your mother gives you money and so too her boyfriend. Why did you do the mess?’ asked the judge casually and rhetorically as he was making some jottings. Ngo was quiet. For several minutes, the Judge questioned them to dig out if there was something or someone who...