Chapter 2: Harmattan Files

For harmattan of 2015, our law firm pick up one legal aid case wey dem first give my colleague.

Harmattan that year rough; everywhere white with dust, lips dey break, breeze cold like say e dey vex. Our small office dey for upstairs, you go climb those narrow stairs wey dey make leg pain you. Na government send the case come, na pro bono—nobody dey chop anything. My colleague, Uchenna, na correct barrister, sharp like razor, but e need travel go Lagos for family matter, so e pass the torch give me. Na so e dey for law chambers.

Na intentional murder matter, wey dem file since 2000. That time, investigation tools never strong, and dem no get better lead from social connections. The case just hang for over ten years, until one month ago, when one important clue show, help dem solve am.

You know Naija system: back then, police no too get all these DNA, CCTV and co. If you no know man wey sabi person, na wahala. So the case just dey sleep like NEPA light, till one small clue, one gist for beer parlour, just burst everything open. Na that clue bring the thing reach our table now.

The evidence choke—no be small. Everybody for chambers don already dey count the man as dead man walking. The crime wicked well, and even though confession come, e too late. Nothing to reduce the punishment. By the time the case reach our hand, defence lawyer no get anything to do again—the trial na just formality.

To dey honest, na wetin dem call open-and-shut case. The man wey dem accuse don confess, but the kind confession e give na last-minute type, no remorse, no evidence say e no do am. Everybody dey look us lawyers like say we just dey do as ritual, since the end sure already.

First trial: death sentence. No appeal. Soon, the case enter death penalty review.

For court that day, the judge tap gavel, but even the sound weak, like say the whole court don tire. Na only sigh you go hear. Everybody don resign to fate. Even the accused just dey look ground, no struggle, no drama. Appeal no even enter the matter—just paper work remain before the worst.

The colleague wey dey handle am gats travel for urgent business, so e pass the last work for the case give me.

Uchenna waka go Lagos because him mama dey sick. He leave small brown file for my table, just drop am like say na lunch money. "Musa, abeg run through the last brief, just stamp am. Nothing dey inside."

I get plenty work for hand, so I just collect am, no too reason am. Na only mouth dem take brief me, I never even see the case file.

You know as life dey—when wahala dey, wahala dey come join. My own pile of files nearly cover my chair. I just push the brown envelope join, say I go look am later. Na only summary I get for head, I never even open page.