Chapter 1: The Call That Changed Everything

In 2012, I picked up one case wey really give me wahala.

That year heavy for me, I no go lie. This particular case grip my chest sotey I dey sweat for dream. For all my waka inside court, I never jam anything wey get as e be like this one. My people, sometimes wahala go jam you for corner wey you no even expect.

The accused person commit two heavy crimes—murder and sexual assault—back-to-back, no single excuse, and e be like say nothing dey to take defend am.

E shock me well. The case come with kpata-kpata evidence—no shaking, no room to maneuver. Even my armpit dey wet anytime I remember the file, evidence full ground like pepper for market. As lawyer, you go dey hope say at least, make small loophole dey. But this one? E choke.

Just as I dey reason wetin I go do, na there I realise say na exactly wetin the guy want be that.

E be like say the thing dey planned as e dey happen, like say na film script the guy dey follow. My mind begin dey turn, I dey reason whether na set up or the person just wan show say e strong.

Na him plan am, open open, like say e wan make everybody dey see the thing.

You know say some people get mind, dem no dey hide. This one na that type. Like say, if dem dey write story of people wey no send, dem go put Ifeanyi name for chapter one.

1

For rainy season 2012, na so the people for detention centre for Aba call me, say one suspect wey dey for intentional homicide case talk say na me e want make I defend am for court.

Rain dey fall back-to-back that period, so everywhere dey muddy. My phone ring for evening, and the man from detention centre no waste time: "Barrister Musa, suspect say na only you e trust."

I shock! I ask dem if dem no mix up the matter.

"Shebi you sure say na me e talk?" I ask, mouth open. My body cold like person wey dem pour ogogoro for head. I just sit for chair, dey look phone, heart dey drum kpom-kpom. I even check the caller ID again, dey hope say na wrong number.

This na just my second year for law work. I still dey wear learner plate for law work—my wig never even soak sweat finish. All my small experience na for civil cases – mostly marriage, family, and inheritance wahala. I never do criminal case before at all.

If you see my CV that time, na only divorce and land matter full am. This one na proper murder—gini? My people, e be like say dem dey test my head.

Homicide matter no be beans, na only criminal law specialist suppose handle am. This one no be play. E be like say the guy pick wrong person.

Na serious people dey handle murder, not person wey still dey read law books like say e dey prepare for WAEC. I just dey look my hand, dey wonder why me?

I tell detention centre straight say abeg, this commission no fit work. I no even reason am twice.

I just sharply tell dem, "Abeg, make una help me. I no ready for this kind wahala." E no even reach two minutes before I end call. My mind dey do me somehow.

But the matter no end there.

For Naija, when something dey pursue you, e go still find way drag you back. Na so this case hook me for neck like yam porridge.

Next day, dem call me again, say the suspect talk say na me e want. The guy sure say e no pick wrong person.

Dem talk am with confidence—"Oga, suspect say na you e dey call, no be mistake." I just dey look my phone like say na jazz.

If something dey strange, e mean say another thing dey hide for inside. This time, I no rush refuse. I first ask the case officer make e give me gist.

My Yoruba side dey tell me say, 'Tani mo se?'—who I offend? But curiosity still dey bite me for mind. I tell the man, "Abeg, just yarn me the matter, make I see as e be."

Na murder case of one university lecturer, and the scene na the victim house. The murderer beat the man, then use rope strangle am. Two days later, na one of the victim students come see the body, come call police.

The wahala happen for one of those old bungalows wey dey hide for backstreet, very close to Ngwa road side. Na there my mind begin dey picture the scene—rain still dey pour for my imagination.

Police quick quick find the suspect: na the victim younger brother.

I just hold chair, dey reason: brother kill brother? For Igbo land, this kain thing na taboo—e go scatter family, community go dey point finger.

For time wey the crime happen, neighbours see the brother for the area; the fingerprints and footprints wey dem collect match am; e get mark and bruise for hand wey show say e use force, wey still match how the victim take die.

No be small thing. The evidence dey strong pass kpof-kpof wey don soak for oil. Everybody dey sure say na the brother do am.

To add join, the guy get bad record – e be ex-convict before, serve 15 years for prison, just come out two years ago.

E be like say wahala dey follow this Ifeanyi everywhere e go. Person wey just comot for Kirikiri, come enter another gbege. Na so some people life dey be.

When dem dey interrogate am, the suspect no gree talk. Apart from name, age, and where e come from, e no answer any real question.

E just sit down, dey look everybody like say dem be masquerade for new yam festival. Police tire, begin dey vex.

But the evidence clear. When all the forensic result land, everybody know say na the guy do am.

For Naija, if evidence clear like that, even market women go know who thief. This one too plain.

Even though the suspect no gree confess, the evidence strong, so police carry the case go give the people wey dey prosecute.

Prosecutors begin sharpen their biro, dey ready for easy win. Even prosecutor wey dey sleep for office wake up.

Na for that stage, the suspect still talk say na me – civil lawyer – e want make I defend am.

I dey reason wetin dey special about me, wey this kind person dey pick me. Na so I dey scratch head, dey look my reflection for glass.

Me and the guy no be family, we no be enemy, we no even sabi each other. No be say na reputation, and e even pass my area of practice. I no understand why e dey insist say na me.

No be say I win any big case, or I get one special style. I dey ask myself, "Omo, wetin concern me inside this one?"

Even detention centre people talk say, "True talk, even legal aid lawyer go better pass you for this kind case."

I just laugh. "Omo, na true. Me sef know." Dem dey even help me reason my own wahala.

...

I come reason say, make I just go see the client.

For this Nigeria, sometimes na face-to-face go settle the matter. Abi, as dem talk, to see person eye go clear doubt.