of December 2006. The court shall rise.
CRIMINAL LAW
Scene Two
7th December 2006.
Court Rep: This court shall rise to welcome the honourable Judge – Miss Melody.
Judge: Please be seated. Defense counsel, any witnesses?
Def.C.: Yes my Lady. My Lady, I would like this court to watch this tape.
Judge: Tender this as exhibit 250 to be investigated later.
Def.C.: Mr. Amadou, where were you on that fateful night of November 25th 2006?
Accused: Your honour, I was in Mecca to worship the God Allah in preparation for the holy Ramadan.
P.C.: Objection, my Lady. These are mere English words coming out from the mouth of a blasphemist. First, he tells this honourable court that he was in Yaounde on the request of the governor. Now he tells this court that he was in Mecca in preparation for the holy Ramadan. My Lady, the accused has proven to me beyond all reasonable doubt that he needs to see a psychiatrist to check his brain. Oh my Lady, I’ve got witnesses to prove that this man standing here is a cheap rapist who runs around anything he sees in skirts.
Judge: Any further questions, defense counsel?
Def.C.: That will be all for now my Lady.
Judge: Prosecutor, you may proceed.
P.C: Mr Amadou what occurred between you and the victim?
Accused: Your honor miss Vivian told me that she wants to give me information
which can help me become a member of the senate. She told me to come to
her apartment if I really needed the information and so the next day I went to her house to get it, but rather than giving me what I needed desperately she began to seduce me and all of a sudden a young man came in and told me to let go his girlfriend and that I should start preparing my loyal and that we would meet in the law court.
P.C: You claim it was a set-up aimed at stopping you from becoming a member of the senate. Well Mr Amadou I put it to you that you came into Miss Vivian’s apartment to rape her so as to get back at her father, well very soon just so soon the hunter would become the hunted.
Def.C: Objection my lady, my borrowed counsel should realize that you do not judge a person out of mere assumptions or speculations.
Judge: Objection sustained, the defense counsel is right state counsel do you have any witness?
P.C: Yes my lady.
Judge: Bring the witness forward.
P.C.: As your Ladyship pleases.
(After a minute of silence)
Oh my Lady, here is my first witness.
Pastor: Are you a Christian, Muslim or pagan?
Witness: Christian
Pastor: Do swear before this Bible that whatsoever you say will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Witness: I swear before this Bible that whatsoever I will say will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Pastor: Then, so be it.
P.C.: What is your name sir?
Witness: I’m called Anthony, but people call me Tony.
P.C.: Now, Mr. Tony, could you please tell the court what happened on that fateful night? Or firstly, I would like you to tell this court whether you are related to the victim?
Mr. Tony: No, I am not related to her as such, but she is my girlfriend.
P.C.: Now you may tell the court about the incidents of November 25th 2006.
Mr. Tony: I told Vivian that I was coming to visit her at 8.00pm on November 25th 2006. And, when I reached her compound, I heard her screaming. When I reached her front door, it was locked. I had to peep through her window and I saw the accused with my girlfriend.
P.C.: After you saw Miss Vivian through the window, what was your reaction?
Mr. Tony: At first I thought she was cheating on me, but when I heard her screaming – “Somebody help!” I pushed open the door and the accused ran away.
P.C: My lady this will be all for this witness.
Judge : Any questions for the witness defense council?
Def.C: Of course my lady.
Def.C.: Mr. Tony, you claim your girlfriend was raped; did you take her to a hospital or a nearby clinic for a check-up?
Mr. Tony: No, I didn’t take her to the hospital because I was confused.
Def.C.: You didn’t have to be confused at that moment Mr. Tony, because if your girlfriend’s life meant a lot to you, you would have taken her to a hospital to see if she was okay.
Mr. Tony: I wanted to, but I was scared.
Def.C.: You were scared when your girlfriend was feeling so bad?
(After a minute of silence)
Now Mr. Tony, apart from the rape, was your girlfriend beaten up?
Mr. Tony: Yes she was.
Def.C.: Which part of her body was beaten up?
Mr. Tony: Most of the beating was on the right hand side of her face and she was left with a black eye there.
Def.C.: You mean she had a black eye around her right eye?
Mr. Tony: Yes.
Def.C.: Now Mr. Tony, are you sure it is my client you saw?
Mr. Tony: Um, um yes, I saw him well.
Def.C.: My Lady, rape is against the right of human diplomacy. Mr. Tony, I put it to you that you bloodily beat up your girlfriend.
Mr. Tony: It’s all a lie!
Def.C.: My Lady, this will be all for now.
Judge: Any more witnesses prosecution counsel?
P.C.: My Lady, the victim herself is here.
Judge: Okay, bring her forward.
Pastor: Now young lady, are you a Christian, Muslim or Pagan?
Vivian: Christian
Pastor: Do swear before this Bible that whatsoever you say will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Vivian: I swear before this Bible that whatsoever I will say will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Judge: Prosecutor, you may proceed.
P.C.: As your Ladyship pleases. Now Miss Vivian, please tell this court exactly what happened on that fateful night of the 25th November 2006.
Vivian: My Lady, I was watching TV at home. Then the accused broke into my house, pointed a gun at me and violently raped me.
COURT: “What?!!”
(The whole court exclaimed in wonderment.)
Judge: Silence in the court.
P.C.: My Lady, just hear that she was raped by the accused, who broke into her house.
Judge: Any questions defense counsel?
Def.C.: Yes my Lady.
Def.C: Miss Vivian could you please tell this court what occurred between you and the accused before the supposed rape incident?
Vivian: Your honor Mr Amadou as we all know was seeking a seat as a member of the senate, and my dad chief ‘Olunasejun” was his main opponent and so since he could not fulfill his desires, he swore to get back at my father. My dad had always wanted a guard by my side but I refused having one and as a result he came to my apartment and raped me.
Def.C.: Oh how pathetic, a good story teller u are, now tell me why will such a beautiful and young girl like u stood so low as to be a cheap tramp?
P.C: Objection my lady my learned colleague has gotten no right to insult the victim.
Judge: Objection sustained defense council I must admit you are going out of line.
Def.C: I apologize my lady.
Def.C.: Now miss Vivian forgive me but I must say you do not appear to me as some one who was raped, now tell me who employed you to blackmail my client?
P.C: Objection my Lady, counsel is leading the victim.
Judge: Objection sustained, counsel rephrase your statement.
Def.C: Thank you my lady. Now miss Vivian u must admit that you conspired with my client’s opponents to bring forth such a blind conspiracy.
Vivian: Your honor I have said so and I will say again the accused raped me.
Def.C: Oh really well we will see to that. My lady this will be all for the victim.
C.Rep: The victim may live the stand.
Def.C: My Lady, may I ask the witness some more questions?
Judge: Yes, defense counsel, you may proceed.
Def.C.: Mr Tony who else except you saw the rape incident?
Mr Tony: I do not recall seeing anyone else.
Def.C: I take that to mean no one else except you saw the rape incident meaning that you supposedly took the snapshots right?
Mr Tony: (silence)
Def.C: Oh have you all off a sudden gone deaf? Now tell me Mr. Tony if you really say your girlfriend was raped why did you rather than going to report the matter to the police stay back to take snapshots?
Mr Tony: (silence)
Def.C.: Still silent , (laughs) well my lady that will be all for now.
Judge: Any further questions prosecution counsel?
P.C.: No my Lady.
Court Rep: The witness shall step down.
Judge: This case is further adjoined to the 14th December 2006
CRIMINAL LAW
Scene Three
14th December 2006
C.Rep: The court shall rise to welcome the honorable judge Miss Melody.
Judge: You all may sit. Counsel for the accused any pleas?
Def.C: My lady I would like the tape to be watched.
Judge: You’ve got my permission.
(The court watches the tape in amazement.)
Def.C: My lady, Miss Vivian informed my client that she has got information which is tangible enough to make him a senator. My client asked the victim to come to his office and give the information she has but Miss Vivian insisted that my client comes to her house if he really wants to become a senator. My client decided to come to Miss Vivian’s house with one of his men. On arriving the Miss Vivian’s house he instructed his guard to take note of everything so the evidence found in this tape is to prove my client innocent of all the charges bought up against him.
P.C: Objection my lady, my lady I would like you to ask yourself this question ”Why did the accused accept to get information from the daughter of his greatest political opponent?” such a situation is like running into your enemies trap with your eyes widely open. Besides my lady remember power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely
This case stated hears is a clear case of violation of human rights. Chief Olunasejun as we all know is a born again Christian who loves his state so much that he wouldn’t want traitors and vicious humans like Mr Amadou to rule.
Def.C: Oh really the first Christian patriot in Cameroon wow that sounds nice to hear and I hope you understand that my client standing hear is also a well devoted muslim. it seems my learned colique is so blind to see the truth, no medical report has been brought up to show that the victim was raped, Even if it were so my clients guiltiness could only be proved by a D.N.A. test or screening.
Judge: Counsels I would take your ideas into consideration.
This case is adjoined to further notice for I to prepare my judgment.
The court shall rise.
Court Rep: Court----
CRIMINAL LAW
Scene four
26th December 2006
Court Rep: This court shall rise to welcome the honourable Judge, Miss Melody. Sit.
Judge: Prosecution counsel, you may raise your case.
P.C.: As your Ladyship pleases. My lady I would like you to remember that when you get into equity get there with clean hands. My Lady, I would most profoundly like this court to know that where there is equity, the law prevails. My Lady, if we look at the government of Idi Amin, we would analyse that in spite of the fact that he shed the blood of great men, he went Scot free. My Lady, you can not be the minister of justice in a country where there is no justice. My Lady, I would like us to look at things logically. There’s a saying which goes that a smart lawyer is one who convinces the jury that a man guilty as sin, is as innocent as a lamb. Oh my Lady, I would like to say ironically that a foolish lawyer is one who allows a man who is as guilty as sin to go Scot free as the law has not been obeyed. What happens to the victim if the accused goes Scot free she loses her reputation, my lady if we still have a bit of mercy in our consciences I will therefore suggest that the accused be given the punishment that he deserves after all my learned colique had no witness to prove his client not guilty, besides the tape did not show any relevant information. Only a fool would believe and accept the tape as tangible evidence.
To this note my lady I plead with you to give a reasonable judgement. Oh my lady I rest my case.
Judge: Any comments defense counsel?
Def.C.: My Lady, the law is supposed to be played on the side of the innocent. Where there is equity, the law prevails. My client has lost his self-respect all because of a crime he knows nothing about. His family is tearing apart. His business is crashing down. My Lady, if we still have a bit of mercy in our consciences, I’ll therefore prescribe that we should tender justice with mercy. My Lady, how would you feel if your husband attempted to send you out of his house because of another selfish man blackmailing you out there? I would like this court to put themselves in my client’s situation. Then, you will all realise that the truth is bitter, but must be spoken remember he who gets into equity should get there with clean hands. My Lady, my client is therefore innocent to this note, my lady I rest my case.
Judge: From all the analyses I have received since this case began, I would say this is one of the most difficult cases I have experienced in my 20 years as a judge of this High Court. Firstly the defense counsel had no witnesses but then the results of the screening and test carried out on the victim shows that she is not pregnant and her father did not come to court to testify on the claims that he was so busy with his campaign. As for the accused he complicated himself by not giving a dishonest account of where he was on that faithful day. But these still doesn’t change my judgement. I find the victim guilty of blackmail and her sentence shall be pronounced later. Looking carefully at what occurred in this court, I therefore find the accused ‘not guilty’ of the charges brought against him. This is my judgement. The court shall rise.
Pro.C: Escuse me my lady I would love the accuse to make a pledge.
Judge : Plea granted.
Pro.C : Mr Amadou we all know you are innocent so promise that if you ever have
and opportunity of raping miss Vivian again you won’t do it.
Accused: I promise this court today that if I ever have the opportunity of raping Miss Vivian again I won’t do it.
(Laughter in Court.)
C.Rep: Silence in the court.
Pro.C: Ha Ha this is interesting so he raped before.
Def.C: My lady my learned colique should not get so excited because she made
him make the pledge.
Pro.C : Oh come on, you see no wonder it is said repetition does not transform a lie
to the truth, he should have simply said he won’t make that pledge
because he did not rape the victim.
Judge I am sorry counsel but my judgement cannot be reversed. The court shall
rise.
C.Rep Court!
(Everyone leaves the court congratulating the accused.)
THE END
