‘You are so annoying! I know we are supposed to be professional but right now it is more than I can bear to even look at you so if you don’t mind let us just carry on in silence’
‘Why are you always so emotional? This is just a case! You get the pay check we go home and the rest is history!’ counters Dante but I am in no mood to hear his misogynistic views. It is typical of us. One step forward, two steps back! I wonder whether we are just cursed or maybe somethings are just not written in the stars. We have been at work the whole weekand freaking weekend slaving some mad hours in preparation for tomorrow’s trial.
‘Ah! You dudes are all the same. As soon as a woman catches you out you start calling us emotional! Can you not come up with a more plausible argument than that?’
‘Shekinah, it is 22:00 already and we have to be in court by9:00 hours tomorrow or we can kiss this trial goodbye.’ I glance at my watch and true it is 22:00 hours call me a workaholic if you like but we are not going anywhere until we crack this thing. Dante goes out to look for some food. He claims he is so hungry he could eat a horse. I look at all the papers scattered on the table. There must be some evidence that we can find in order to tie this teacher to the rape. There is no way I am letting this go just because Dante thinks some women are to blame for rape.
Maybe it is because he has hit so close to home and I am a bit biased but I really think that is the most stupid statement ever made. So what if the president is of the same opinion? I have heard there are many men out there getting raped all the time. Wasn’t there a story reported just last week about the young man who was walking home only to be jumped by a group of men in a rural area? Or the tourist who get raped, some of those are men too but no when it happens to a woman then she asked for it! It is a good thing we had this conversation because at least now I know what he would have thought of me had I told him about my past. Anyway the past should have no place in current relationships. Not that we arein one but- ah you know what I mean.
[Hope text- Shey boo boo, I am staying at Michaels tonight and I figured you are working late. Do not worry when you get home there is enough food around. Charity made some good concoction! I would not bring Dante back here if I were you because he might stay and it will not be because ofyou. Lol] I smile at her crudeness. It is not something new with her. She is absolutely atrocious.
I decide to focus solely on the project in front of me. This is not adding up. The child is in grade 10 and said to have been adopted by some woman whose husband was recently out of jail. I take the research and pin it together on the notice board to see if I can conjure up some story. The teacher has no prior record of any type of crime. No one other than this child will testify. I go through all the reasons she may not want to. Fear is the biggest one of all. Obviously she is the victim here but she is also said to dress provocatively at school. I take a look at some of the pictures put in front of me of the girl. Sure the skirt is slightly above the knee but nothing that is different from most girls her age. She had also mentioned that two other girls said they had been hurt by the same teacher but had refused to be mentioned in the report. No reasons given. Dante walk back in after an hour carrying big bagof take away. Presumably the big part is for him.
‘Dante how come there is no mention about the father aside from the fact that he has been in prison? Is this even a safe environment for achild and when on earth was she adopted if it was not long ago since his release?’
‘Slow down nuh man. Too many questions and I have not even eaten yet!’
‘Are you going to be speaking patois in court tomorrow?’
‘No that is why we made you first chair until I sort my accent out’ I shake my head but feel relieved that he will not be opening his mouth tomorrow. Explains why he is more focused on his stomach than the case.
The teacher’s alibi is flimsy and does not really stick but there is no evidence to counter it.
‘Wait- didn’t the girl say that the teacher’s girlfriend saw him rape her and then beat the girl up for it?’
‘Yes but the girlfriend denies having seen anything of the sort’
‘come on we can all deny things but you will be surprised what people own up to when they are under pressure especially when being cross examined by a lawyer’ he does have a point there and it is either the hunger or fatigue but either way I find myself agreeing out loud with him.
‘Let me have a looked at the particulars of the father again-‘
‘Says she was adopted by the man’s wife because he could not bear children. Hahaha listen to this, his privates had been surgically attached since his castration…’ Dante’s voice trails off. I grab the papers from him and wonder how we missed this information at first. ‘So that is why this case is hard to prove. Her adopted father was imprisoned for rape after a mob of women castrated him and posted his penis to the police station. He was later arrested following his treatment for wounds at the Ndola hospital. I giggle whilst looking for the name of this crazy rapist man but to no avail. It is not listed anywhere.
The statements by the mother are so passionate and that she wants justice for her child and that this teacher must pay but what if the father who had just come from prison was the one who in fact raped her? Could they be trying to cover up the mess because the girl had spoken to one teacher about itand now it was out in the open? Sure the evidence left for us to rely on is pure hearsay but that is not our business. Someone has to pay.
‘I think there is only one thing we can do to find out the father’s name and the relationship he has with said daughter. It is not something we should overlook’ I say picking up the phone. Dante smiles whilst shoving a massive burger in his mouth. This silly man loves to wink so much it makes me wonder whether he just has a twitch in his eye. Finally someone picks up the phone and give an explanation as to why I am calling and the urgency of the case. I seem to now have her attention.
‘What would you like to know?’
I would like to know her father’s name because it is not listed here’ I explain.
‘Oh sorry we were told earlier that knowing his background from prison may affect the case’
‘There is this thing called client confidentiality that means whatever you say to me stays with me unless otherwise discussed but right now I need to know so that I can go in their prepared with whatever may be thrown my way do you understand?’ I feel bad for coming down a little hard but I am too tired for pleasantries.
‘He is Trevor…..Trevor Mwamba’ the phone drops from my hand as ruthlessly as my words had dropped on the woman. Dante looks up and quickly attends to the rest of the call. He strokes my shoulder and I scream while pushing his hand away. I am way to familiar with that stroke and that…that name
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