Chapter 3: Death Sentence and Desperation

After the old judge talk the judgement, dem carry Chuka go.

He no struggle, just dey look me with empty eye till dem carry am comot.

For Makurdi cell corridor, you go see as his leg dey drag for ground. The warders dey talk, "Move! Move!" but Chuka just dey move slow like ghost.

Me, I just stand there, lost.

Lawyers dey pass, dey tap my back: "No worry, you try." But I no hear. My leg dey root for ground.

……

That afternoon, I go detention center see Chuka.

The sun dey go down, shadow long for ground. My mind dey wander as I enter visiting room.

I sit down for front of am, no talk.

Chuka dey look floor, I dey look wall. Mosquito dey fly, but nobody fit raise hand kill am.

My mind mix. I no just be him lawyer, I be him senior.

Imagine say person you know for school turn murderer. How you go look am?

One side, I pity am. Another side, I dey think, "Person wey people dey pity sometimes get something bad inside." I even feel say I no try because I no fit help am get lighter sentence.

We no talk. After five minutes, na Chuka break the silence:

"I no fit accept death sentence. I wan appeal."

Voice low, but strong. He bite lip, dey shake head like stubborn goat.

"All death sentence get right to appeal. Court go accept am, but you need reason. If your reason no strong, dem go just keep the first judgement."

I don see plenty case like this. To appeal for death case na just to buy time.

But Chuka suddenly vex, hit table, then put head for hand:

"I no fit accept death. If I die, na nothing remain. I no wan die."

Yes…

If you die, na nothing remain.

But Musa don die too. Him family no get anything too.

Na only for my mind I talk am, I no fit talk am out.

If nothing change, Chuka go die.

Now, as him lawyer, my main work na to find him family.

"You fit reach your brother? He suppose know."

Chuka just hold my hand, dey breathe hard:

"No call my brother. No let am know."

"But he suppose know."

"Abeg."

"……"

He look me somehow. Na later I go understand why.

That time, I just think say he no wan make him only family know say he be murderer.

So I gree:

"Okay."

"Senior, if new evidence show, e fit change my sentence?"

"If the evidence make sense and e legal."

Chuka just rest back, think long, then suddenly hit table like say he make up mind:

"Senior, I wan withdraw my confession."

"Withdraw your confession?"

With all the evidence and confession, I no understand why Chuka dey do this, so I warn am:

"Chuka, all your talk dey for record. No be say dem force you or tire you. Everything point to you. No go lie because you wan appeal."

Chuka nod:

"Senior, I no wan die. Na Auwalu send me—na him plan everything."

"Mr. Auwalu? That name dey familiar."

As I dey think, Chuka explain:

"The project manager for the site."

I shock.

I pause, then join everything together:

"Mr. Auwalu—the prosecution witness?"

"Yes."

I just summarise my confusion:

"Na contract killing?"

Chuka look me for eye, nod.

"He promise me 1.2 million naira to kill Musa."

"Why you dey talk am now?"

"1.2 million. If I come out from prison, I go get that big money. Na why I surrender, cooperate with police, dey hope for small sentence. If I survive prison, I go get the money. But now dem don give me death, I no go see the money. I rather save my life."

Now I understand how him mind dey work.

I shake my head. Na money dey turn person. For inside cell, Chuka dey calculate future.

"No wonder you relax when you hear say you fit come out in thirteen years."

But wait…

Something no clear.

Musa na ordinary worker. Mr. Auwalu na manager. If he no like Musa, he fit just sack am. Why e go plan kill?

I ask, Chuka answer:

"I no sabi the full story, na guess. Musa know one big secret about manager, he dey use am threaten manager sometimes."

I just sit down, frown, cover my face. This case don pass normal.

I think well, then ask:

"Na construction site. Mr. Auwalu fit arrange accident. Why use you?"

Chuka talk true:

"Manager say if Musa die for work, dem go close site, investigate, project go delay. Na real estate work—if dem stop, wahala dey…"

He just pause, dey hint me.

E make sense.

Musa dey threaten Mr. Auwalu. Mr. Auwalu tire, come hire person to kill am.

And Chuka, wey just start life, na him dem use.

Chuka know say he no fit escape, so he try get lighter sentence by surrender—so he fit collect the money when he come out.

He no talk am before because of the money.

Now, because of death sentence, he wan change talk.

If we use this new story appeal, to show say na Mr. Auwalu send am…

Maybe Chuka fit get like fifteen years.