The Witness

HAPTER TEN Eventually the day did come. It was every bit as rough and tough as I had been warned it would be. I felt saddened by the sight of the two men as the police brought them in from the Black Maria that conveyed them from the prison. But apart from looking emaciated I could not detect any sign of remorse for what they had done and the way they had lived their lives from their demeanor. When I was called to the witness stand I was led through the oath and then I was also led through my evidence in chief, which I gave smoothly and confidently. Thereafter, I was cross-examined by the smart young defense lawyer, Mr. Jude Kalu. All through the cross-examination he made me feel as if I was the one on trial. "Is it true that on the night in question you were out with Ted, your married boyfriend Miss Ogene?" "Objection your honor." "Your honor, I am leading up to something here. I intend to establish the issue of credibility of this crucial witness. I want to remind the court that the personal liberty, maybe even the life or death of my clients hang on the veracity of this witness." “Allowed. Let the witness answer the question.” “No.” I replied, and I hated my parents a little for blocking our intentions to marry when Ted and I wanted to. “And you lived with him for two years?” “Objection, your honor, the prosecuting State Counsel was on her feet. I hardly see what this witness’ living arrangement has to do with her evidence in this case.” “Your honor,” the young, smooth and earnest faced defense lawyer began trying to explain again looking earnestly at the judge “if the state would let me, I am trying to establish the pattern of behavior of this important witness.” this time however, the judge cut in. “Objection sustained. Counsel asks some other questions.” “Yes your honor.” facing me again he asked continued “Miss Ogene, you told this honorable court that you did not know the accused persons except as the people you allege you saw in the get-away car on the 15th day of June 1992 even thought they were your school mates?” “Yes.” “I put it to you that you did know the first accused person, that you were on his campaign team when he contested and lost the Student Union presidency in April of 1991.” I just stood there in the witness box looking at him and not understanding a word of what he had just said. Me, on a campaign team? I hardly knew anything about campus politics except maybe show up for speech nights which were usually opportunities for people to make noise and let off steam as we listen and make fun of contestants who make grammatical errors in their campaign manufesto.” I heard the defense lawyer saying as if I were in a dream “Milord, the defense has an exhibit.” He passed a piece of hard paper that looked like a picture to the court clerk to give to the judge. “Defense wishes to tender the picture as Exhibit C. It is a picture of the witness in the company of others on the campaign team of the first accused person, holding his poster in her hand.” The judge looked at the picture then it was passed over to the state counsel at her request, to look at in turn. Incredible, I had no recollection of any one like him having contested for any Student Union post at any time. Of course in those days I had no time for such past times as campus politics except make noise with the rest on campaign speech nights. Yet the picture had me in it, holding a paper banner on which the words 'Felix for President'. When and how such a picture was taken I could not tell. After that I could not hear much of what went on because I was still mulling over that picture and my appearance in it. I did not understand how that had happened, photo trick or something else. It was still perplexing to me how these people pulled that off. After this I lost concentration. The defense lawyer on the other hand knew he had scored a point and moved in to consolidate his defense. He was a professional at work and he had a lot going on this case. Though I did not know it, Mr. Mike Egbuje, Felix's father had been very persuasive. He had told the young lawyer "I could have briefed any number of senior lawyers to do this case but you come highly recommended. Although you are quite young, you are making a mark as a good defense lawyer, that some of your more straight laced older colleagues are too yellow to touch. Do this and you will see how things will work out for you? I promise you, you will have no regrets if you are able to pull a successful defense of this case, landed property, eh... name it”. The fee was agreed on and it was more than the young lawyer had charged for the case that brought him the growing reputation as a good defense lawyer. I don’t really blame this young lawyer for his hard hitting tactic. For sure it is uncomfortable to be on the other side. I did not know it at the time but the young man had hundred’s of thousands of naira incentive to do a good job of discrediting my testimony. It would be a career high for him to successfully defend his young criminal client and make Mr. Egbuje, the defendant’s millionaire dad, happy.