A Dirty Game

Chapter Six

45 Six here was tension everywhere. There was tension both in radio and newspaper houses. Who could be the next, just like Williams? Many people doubted whether the alleged criminals would be convicted and sentenced for killing Williams. Indeed, it was going to be a case that even those who hated the courts would like to witness. For about a week, Grace Asong was behind bars and sick too. She was getting slacker every second. The officers kept interrogating her expecting some revelations but she declined all responsibilities saying she couldn’t explain who took her pistol. To many people, it was incredible that her service gun was involved in the case. She was in some parched soliloquy that was draining her of all courage. There were legal jargons such as Accomplice, Accessory, Felony, Capital Murder, Firing squad and others. Legal jokers were waiting and rehearsing such words. Tanga had reported, ‘Murderers of the mayor’s son have been arrested by forces of law and order in Mamfe...’ It wasn’t long before counsels for the defendants referred to the report as, ‘Prejudged Report.’ They said, ‘Only when our clients are proven guilty, can they be termed murderers.’ Lawyers were after Tanga, pressurising him to withdraw the word murderers and to use alleged criminals. Motions had been filled in Court for their release on bail, but the judge had turned them all down. ‘Counsels need respect ethics of this noble profession. This is a case competent before the military tribunal. Even if pushed to be heard by this court, this is a felony and not a simple offence, nor a misdemeanour. This motion can’t work. The defendants must remain in custody until hearing.’ T 46 Those were the words of the judge and he stood by it. That same week, a new press law was out. It gave the right to private radio stations to report on certain political issues only after the government radio station must have covered it. In violation of the decree, such a station would be issued an injunction. * * * * The atmosphere was tense and fierce. It was becoming more dangerous to walk in the night. The Head of State had promised his people, ‘This shall be a government of action. It shall be a government of enjoyment and the privileges man could afford to think will reach every individual. The dividends of this democracy shall be distributed evenly. I’m carrying freedom to every household and right to every individual, big or small. There shall be freedom of expression in all forms. We shall speak the language of the poor, the lame, the blind... I mean we shall speak love and the respect for all.’ Those were the sweet words at the birth of democracy and multi-party system. People had been expecting those words to yank humanity from the agony and sorrows inflicted by foreign masters and to drive the entire nation into a promising 21st century. Yet, some said it was becoming worst than a devastating storm. The head of state had not visited Tiko or the entire region for long. To Professor Hansel and others, ‘It’s one of the greatest nonchalance of a thing. It’s the highest neglect.’ Again, Hansel had cried, ‘No, the 21st century has come with a serious downpour that is now penetrating the cracked walls. Only the fern and moss plant have been growing on the walls. Both our ruling and rival parties have failed.’ What he meant, many people couldn’t give any interpretation. The only understanding was that the Head of 47 the country had been named premier of the country for several years and later in 1982 was named the overall head. From one party system that was abolished in 1990, into multiparty and then into the early hours of the 21st century, he had still to consolidate his political stance. Until then he was never wrong as many people criticised. On the other side, the National Chairman for SDF had addressed many issues for over a decade since the birth of democracy. Nevertheless, all efforts had shoved militants into worst woes. The party leaders had failed and were still failing to agree amongst themselves. The result was that it divided into factions, thereby weakening its strength. A journalist editorialised his report, ‘I find no reason to support SDF to take power because they blame CPDM for all ills, but still...