CHAPTER SEVEN (7)
I think i have to be going now, I will be coming to check on you from time to time since you have given me your house address, Johnson said with a forced smile.. he left the restaurant very ashamed after he had exchanged the last greetings with her, from the restaurant he went straight to his house without collecting his items in the restaurant, he couldn't imagine himself being a street hawker whereas he was supposed to be in the court of law doing justice to the law of the country. During his going back to the restaurant to collect the items he left in there after he had cried enough he saw an invitation letter which was pasted on one of the walls in the street with the inscription: NATHANIEL PEREMENE HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS SENIOR SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT ON POLITICS and that the public pleasure is needed to honor his appointment party at his father's residence, Johnson quickly collected the invitation booklet from the wall and immersed it into his big front pocket after finding out the date, time and venue of the event, he nodded his head steadily for some time and said "the Wicked will never go unpunished" Nathaniel!!! You must join me in my college of sorrow and unhappy life, he vowes with severe ferocity and went back home.
At home, sorrow then became a permanent visitor to Johnson, he never ate nor tasted anything... All the night he never slept but only cry till morning, he became more unhappy whenever he remembers the Hawking business and Nathaniel's appointment letter, he continued to prepare very hard for the great party in honor of Nathaniel due to his Political appointment.
On the day for the party ceremony in honor of Nathaniel, everything started successfully;the party was a great one indeed; Infact the day was very favourable... The cloud didn't show any sign of shedding tears, Instead the sun continued to smile cheerfully to the inhabitants of the earth, After sometime when the party was booming with musics and dancing steps were moving to and fro, Johnson arrived the venue.
Nathaniel was surprised to see Johnson, he became timid but suddenly waved away all the negative thoughts. Johnson dipped his right hand into his inner pocket of his black suit and spontaneously brought out a revolver, the sweet melodious song which had been playing softly in the compound was heard no more when Johnson fired four bullets into the air.
"Johnson didn't came here to harm people, but maybe he had decided to show his joy and also to announce his arrival with the firing of the gun, Nathaniel thought to himself.
Johnson walked majestically like a king towards Nathaniel with the gun in his hand in an unhappy mood, Nathaniel became terrified when he moved towards him. "I can see you are here making yourself Happy after you had ruined my entire life, your devilish advice caused the death of my own mother, but here your mother and father is still alive enjoying the fruits of their labour right?, Due to the death of my mother I dropped out from school as a result of my inability to secure someone who will take her position in training me in the university, for your Devilish and wicked attitude have decided to come and give you your own salary of the agony of life, Johnson finally said and triggered the gun and the generous gun released two bullets Into Nathaniel's Mother and she died instantly.
Now you're trembling?, This is just the number one step, you must enjoy the fruit of your labour. Nathaniel trembled in fear , his body was shaking as if electric current was passing through him. The soul that sinneth shall die", Johnson said and three bullets to his father, blood flowed like stream , Nathaniel couldn't hold himself together loosing his parents to the world behind in just a twinkle of eye, Nathaniel collapsed immediately after seeing his parents bodies lying helplessly. Having completed his mission, Johnson dashed outside the compound and move straight to where his Motor was (Rented Motor) but was later got arrested by the Police Officers that was on their check point, the police handcuffed Johnson and took him away. Nathaniel was rushed to the "YOU DO ME I DO YOU INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL" while the bodies of his parents was deposited in the mortuary, Nathaniel later regained consciousness after some hours, as he was still receiving treatment one of the party partakers announced to him that Johnson had been arrested and he's in the police custody, Nathaniel was so excited because he thought he must get justice for his parents, he vowed that Johnson would walk through hell before he would be sent to visit his ancestors.
In the prison, though he was in great pain , Johnson didn't have any regret for what he had done. Even if he would die because of his crime he didn't fear, to him life without his mother is meaningless he labeled himself a condemned prisoner eagerly he was waiting a day when would be called to be killed either by hanging or firing squad, the prison apartment was very small compared to the people in it, there was no space for the prisoners to sit comfortably.
As time went on, Johnson friendship with the other prisoners began to increase being someone who was highly endowed with charisma, he always make the other inmates excited for hours with his jokes.
Love continued to reign among the prison inmates, they did everything in Concord and harmony, with Johnson's jokes the prisoners always kept themselves busy but the main problem in the prison for Johnson was Nathaniel, for Nathaniel had tried many possible ways to kill him in the prison but nothing came out positively.
For over one year being spent in the Prison, Johnson didn't even get a single trial in court. One day, a man came for the release of his relative who was also in the same prison with Johnson, Johnson was shocked when he sighted the man.. the man happened to be his old university Lecturer.
The man had pity for Johnson when he narratee the story to him, the man remembered how Johnson was among the best students back then in MAYOR'S INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY. With the efforts of the man the case was brought to court for trial, on the appointed day Johnson was brought to court for trial. After two cases were treated that morning, the court clerk read out the case for Johnson Tarebi. The name sounded very familiar to the judge when the clerk called out the name, though the Judge didn't care more about the name, the court clerk retired to her seat after she had read out the case to be hearing of all and sundry in the court room. Immediately, two policemen who held Johnson at both sides brought him inside the courtroom, The Judge couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Johnson, he thought he was dreaming but wasn't, Johnson in his part couldn't also believe his eyes when he saw the Judge.
The Judge was no other person than"Isaac Ebi",his old university and Village friend and the same time his course-mate in the department of Civil Law. The Judge was fast enough to withdraw his eyes from Johnson's own when their eyes met. "Take the young man out,his case will be treated later,the judge said and ordered the clerk to read out the next case and Johnson was takem away from the courtroom, after the new case was finally treated, the judge called for a break.
During the break, he summoned members of the "JURY" and the two lawyers that was involved in the case of Johnson and Nathaniel, he called them for an urgent meeting and disclosed to them his relationship with Johnson and Nathaniel when they were in the university and beckoned on them to do him a favour and Judge in Johnson's favour. As their senior ranked learned colleague, they unanimously agreed to grant the Judge his request.
After the break, Johnson was brought in again with the usual handcuff in his wrist and was brought forward for the trial. Many who were present the case was adjourned to the after and people who knows the story that lingered to his arrest were surprised as the JURY came up with reasons why Johnson should go free without punishment. "With the evidence of the jury",the judge started, "I there give you all the judgment based on proves presented by them, the jury. I declare that this man is not guilty", he said.
" C-o-u-r-t!" the clerk shouted. Everybody stood up while the Judge left the courtroom, Johnson was immediately set free, the Police took off the handcuff from his wrist, after the court was over, Johnson and Isaac Embraced themselves firmly.
The tears of joy and sorrow began to feel down from Johnson's cheek and Isaac instantly gave Johnson a position of Junior colleague in his chamber and later trained him in the university to be civil lawyer fully.
" To live a life is never a problem, what becomes a problem is the after effect of the life lived or the consequences that comes out from living the life", Johnson said after his graduation party in the university.
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How i wish that people, especially the youth will learn from my mistakes in life themselves before they can learn, Johnson whispered in a tremulous voice as tears flowed Majestically down from his cheeks.
Truly, THE JURY & THE JUDGMENT had made my mother's dream come true, he concluded.