Abiola was in his room, he was overjoyed about his sudden healing. He wondered about the reason behind the sudden healing he had just experienced "had Cyril finally been able to complete his tasks and what extent had he gone to accomplish it?"
He stood in front of the mirror just gazing through, it was a surprise for him. The last few weeks had been hell for him - being unable to move nor speak, if he had to defecate someone had to help him.
He looked sternly into the mirror and memories of Alice flooded into his mind. The woman who had swept him of his sanity with so much grace and fervour, her serene personality and charming eyes had etched a sense of belonging deep down in his heart. He loved her dearly even if it had happened in the most absurd of circumstances. He couldn't deny the fact that she was the only one he wanted to love and share his eternity with.
Brooding over the product of gyle lust, his father knocked on the door of his room. He opened the door and ushered his father in.
"My son, I forgot to inform you that today is Alice's trial." The father said.
"Alice on trial for what?" Abiola asked.
"Well I did not want to bother you about it but the girl who was said to have kidnapped you will be on trial today.
"What! But she had no hand in my kidnapping." Abiola said in anger.
He rushed into the bathroom and in a few moments he was done bathing. He changed into a better attire and rushed out of the house. Took a taxi and headed out for the court.
It was about 11 am when Abiola reached the court. He got off the taxi, paid the taxi driver and headed straight for the court room. He asked around and was directed to where the case was being held.
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The jury had heard testimonies from the witnesses and the lawyers of both parties and had come to a conclusion on the case.
Alice's lawyer had done his best but with facts from the police and no Cyril to declare her innocent, things were looking pretty stiff for the defence bench. Everything had pointed that Alice was an accomplice for not informing the police if she thought it was strange for Cyril to bring Abiola to her. She placed her head on he table in front of her and wept. She was done for - a convict accused of kidnapping can go to prison for as long as 20 years. "What would become of her son now?" She wondered.
One of the jury members stood up to declare the result of their deliberation.
"We the jury find Alice Okunsayan....."
Immediately, Abiola pressed fiercely on the door handle and swung the door wide open. He rushed into the court room, he saw on the faces of the people present that it was probably a bad idea to intrude in a trial without formally addressing the court prior. Everyone turned around in confusion, Alice turned around and saw Abiola walking down the Isle of the courtroom.
With courage he walked towards the judge and addressed himself.
"Your honour, my name is Abiola Alesinloye. I am the reason for this court session. I was the one who was kidnapped."
The prosecutor stood up and objected.
"Your honour we have no knowledge of another witness, this man is in contempt of this court."
The judge turned to the prosecutor and said.
"Objection overruled, I want to hear what he has to say. Mr Abiola you are free to speak."
Abiola walked into the witness box, he was asked to swear an oath to tell the truth by raising his hand. He sat down on the chair that was in the box and started his narration.
"Cyril Adebola is my friend, we had gone out in search of jobs many times and came back home with nothing. I am a graduate and I have my BSc in English Literature but even that got me nowhere. One day Cyril told me about an idea he had that could help us out and make us rich.
The idea was for us to visit an Oracle in Akwa Ibom. We went there innocently seeking for answers as to why we weren't getting any jobs but things turned side ways. We were about seven in number though I had decided not to join them in their quest. So when we got to the shrine, it was midnight. The place was dark, they went inside but I reclined and stayed outside. After some minutes, about thirty minutes of waiting for them to come out. I decided I wanted to know if my friends were alright so I entered the shrine without the permission of the Oracle or his assistant and that's when things went side ways.
The Oracle casted a spell on me and said I wouldn't be able to speak until Cyril was done with his tasks. Immediately I felt a heaviness and then I was numbed from head down to my toes. I was carried out by my friends. Cyril was scared to bring me back home to my father and risk explaining himself or getting himself into trouble, so he decided to leave me at Alice's place. The plan was when he was done with his task, I would become whole and well and then we could go home like nothing happened. Alice herself didn't know what had caused my illness. He just told her that I didn't have any family that's why he had to bring me to her. She was very good and treated me well, took me to the hospital for my medical examinations and bought drugs that I needed."
The courtroom was as quiet as a graveyard, everyone listened attentively as to a lecture or a sermon. You could see the emotions that had engulfed the faces of everyone present.
After Abiola was done with his narrations, Alice's lawyer stood up and asked Abiola the one undisputed question.
"Mr. Abiola, are we to believe that by your narration, you who was supposedly kidnapped. That Miss Alice Okunsayan had no hand in your kidnapping."
"The truth is, I was not kidnapped in the first place." Abiola answered.
The defence lawyer turned to the jury and addressed them once again.
"We have heard from the horses own mouth. Mr. Abiola was the victim of the kidnapping and he has testified that my client Miss Alice Okunsayan is not guilty."
He sat back down and waited for what the judge had to say.
The judge looked at the jury and knew what they had in mind.
He turned back and faced the audience and made his judgement.
"After listening to the deliberations and narrations I herby find Miss Alice Okunsayan not guilty. Miss Alice this court is sorry for all you have been through. The state shall compensate you with the sun of 2 million naira. Case dismissed."
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A time of jubilation and euphoria one would expect after such triumph. Like you this writer can only imagine.
Will we be seeing the pretty Alice or the unlucky Abiola in the near future? No one could tell but I know for sure that the great detective - Counsellor Michael isn't done with his share of mystery and crime solving.
As he once quoted "Crime never sleeps and neither will i"