Two weeks later
In the courtroom
Abdulhakeem: Your Honor, I have evidence with me — a report from a psychiatrist indicating that the late Mr. Mubarak suffered from an abnormal mental disorder. (he presents the medical report) His family were aware and chose to ignore it. That will be all for now, Your Honor. (he returns to his seat)
Mr. Aregbeshola: Your Honor, as we all know, the late Mr. Mubarak was a well-known man of dignity and a wealthy pillar of the community — every woman’s dream. As my opposite counsel said earlier, Mr. Mubarak installed CCTV cameras in his house; that alone isn’t an excuse. If you want to protect your property, you install cameras — and he did so because of Mustakeemah. He was trying to twist the story, but I will make it clear: Mr. Mubarak’s success attracted Mustakeemah’s family. That’s why they planned against him by sending Mustakeemah to his house. Later, when Mr. Mubarak discovered their plan, he gave her pills so she wouldn’t get pregnant for him — because if she bore his child, his property might be shared. If any of you were in his shoes, you might do the same. He also discovered Mustakeemah was in contact with her family about destroying him; that’s why he prevented her from leaving his house. Despite everything, he developed feelings for her, and normally he might have chased her away, but love got the better of him and he gave her another chance. That didn’t stop Mustakeemah and her family from plotting. She stopped taking the pills, became pregnant again, and when he found out he told her to terminate the pregnancy. She refused, which led to their fight and then his death.
Abdulhakeem: (shocked) Objection, Your Honor! That’s a lie — he’s twisting everything. I have proof here.
Judge: Permission granted.
Abdulhakeem: Thank you, Your Honor… I would like to call my next witness to the box — Mrs. Abiola, who happened to be his former housemaid.
Mrs. Abiola: (swears by her faith) Good day. My name is Abiola Tajudeen. I was Mr. Mubarak’s housemaid. I worked for him for six months before I stopped.
Abdulhakeem: Madam, if I may ask — why did you stop working for him?
Mrs. Abiola: I quit because he is a very violent man. He gets angry easily, and when he’s angry he hits me despite knowing I’m old enough to be his mother. One day I delayed making his dinner and he beat me so badly and tore my dress. I was left half-naked that day — that was the last day I worked for him.
(Audience murmurs.)
Abdulhakeem: (smiles) Thank you, Mrs. Abiola. Can you tell us things he would say while you were with him?
Mrs. Abiola: Well, sometimes he’d say women are crazy and stubborn… that he sometimes wished he’d never married. He even said he wished he could have a slave he could torture however he wanted. At times he’d say, if men didn’t need intimacy to survive, women shouldn’t have been created. I once replied, “Have you forgotten someone gave birth to you — your mother?” He didn’t expect that and slapped me, warning me never to interfere again. He also said I was too small for him to bother with. Even his so-called mother once got beaten by him.
(Everyone gasps; murmurs rise. The judge looks shocked.)
Mubarak’s Mother: (embarrassed as everyone stares) That’s not true!
Mubarak’s Younger Sister: Mum! Is that true?
Abdulhakeem: He said that?
Lawyer Aregbeshola: Objection, Your Honor — that is a lie.
Mrs. Abiola: Young man, I am not lying about a dead person. I know what I went through working for Mubarak. Ever since then I gave up being a housemaid. He made me shed many tears. How could any woman tolerate how he treats women? I once cursed him for what he did to me — that he would never marry nor have children. I was surprised when I heard this young lady married him until they told me everything. Girl, I know you went through hell in that house — only I can relate. That’s all I have to say. May Allah ease your affairs.
Abdulhakeem: Thank you so much, Mrs. Abiola. You may step down. Your Honor, as you have heard, this clarifies that the late Mr. Mubarak was mentally unstable.
(Audience bursts into laughter.)
Judge: Watch your speech, Mr. Abdulhakeem!
Abdulhakeem: No, Your Honor — I’m not insulting him. I’m stating facts. Can anyone in their right mind treat women, even his own mother, with such cruelty? (angrily points at Mubarak’s mother in the audience) He pretended to be generous in public but was a monster at home. No one can imagine what this woman went through being his slave for four years. That’s all I have to say for now, Your Honor. (he returns to his seat and looks toward Mustakeemah)
Mustakeemah: (she smiles and looks down)
Lukman: (watches them from the audience)
Lawyer Aregbeshola: Your Honor, I would like to call my witness — Dr. Martins. Please come to the witness box.
Mustakeemah: (her body begins to tremble as she sees the doctor) That’s… him…
Abdulhakeem and Lukman: (watch Mustakeemah’s reaction)
Abdulhakeem: (whispers) I guess that’s the doctor.
Lukman: I think so. (presses his ear pod)
Dr. Martins: (swears by his faith) My name is Dr. Martins and I was the late Mr. Mubarak’s family doctor. I’d been his personal doctor for the past seven years.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: Can you tell the court what happened during the time this lady lived with Mr. Mubarak? Who did you treat more often between the two of them?
Dr. Martins: Well, uhmm—I’ve known this generous man for a while and knew him as someone who loved to give and help people. I treated many of his family and friends. The day I first met this lady, he told me she was his wife and I was happy for him. He always told me how much he loved her and that he didn’t want anything to harm her. That’s what I know of his feelings.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: How many times did you treat the couple?
Dr. Martins: I treated Mr. Mubarak several times—countless really, sometimes for check-ups, sometimes for sickness. As for his wife, I treated her about four times.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: Since he married her, did you ever treat injuries or bruises? Did you ever see him injure her?
Dr. Martins: Yes—several times. Maybe five times, I’d say.
Mustakeemah: (gasps) He is lying!
Abdulhakeem: Objection, my Lord.
Judge: Order, please! Go ahead, Mr. Martins.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: I shall present their medical reports.
Judge: (checks them)
Dr. Martins: Mr. Mubarak complained a lot about his wife’s temper—she threw dangerous objects at him when she was upset. I once advised him to get divorce papers, but he insisted he loved her.
Mustakeemah: (breaks down in tears) Nooooo! He is lying, please…
Lawyer Aregbeshola: You may step down, sir. Your Honor, based on his statement—I do not deny Mr. Mubarak had issues, but if he encountered trauma with his wife, who wouldn’t have challenges? My opponent is trying to twist facts, but his doctor clarified things. Her violent temper led to Mr. Mubarak’s death; he loved her and hoped she would change, but it ended in sorrow. Why shouldn’t he resent women when treated this way? I call my next witness.
Judge: Permission granted.
Tunde: My name is Tunde Waliasiri. I was once Mr. Mubarak’s gateman before he offered me a better job. I knew him as a generous man who helped the needy. He told me he needed a chef and a cleaner; Mrs. Abiola was our neighbour and used to beg me for money, so I gave her the job on condition she wouldn’t beg again. A few months later my boss accused me of stealing when money went missing—we argued and I swore I wasn’t the one.
Mrs. Abiola: (shouts from the audience) God will judge you, Tunde! He must have paid you to lie on me with my grey hair… (breaks down)
Judge: Order!
Tunde: As I was saying, the day he caught that woman stealing from his wardrobe he angrily threatened to have her arrested. I begged him to sack her instead of calling the police. That’s how she lost her job. All she said earlier is a lie. That’s all, Your Honor.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: Thank you, Mr. Tunde. You may step down. Your Honor, with this evidence I’ve presented, I trust the court sees Mr. Mubarak’s death was planned and not pure self-defence. That’s all, Your Honor.
Judge: This case is adjourned to next week — 3rd of October, 2021.
---
At the police station
Lukman: (angry) We are losing this case. You didn’t even get enough evidence… and you call yourself an excellent lawyer. If we lose this, it’s another war between you and me!
Abdulhakeem: (angrily hits the table) We need to work harder. This isn’t the time to argue about who’s weak. We have one week left.
Lukman: You should have called Suraj, and you failed. Now you’re telling me to calm down? I’m done working with you. I’m taking back this case. You’re nothing but a freak.
Abdulhakeem: Watch your mouth! Don’t talk to me like that — we don’t have time to back down. Where is Mustakeemah? They should bring her here already.
Lukman: I’m taking back her case. I won’t let your stupidity ruin her life like you chased her out four years ago!
Abdulhakeem: (angrily hits the table and faces him) Watch your mouth, Lukman! Or else!
Lukman: Or else what?
Mustakeemah: (opens the door) What are you guys doing? (moves between them, trying to separate them) What are you two doing here in the police station? Do you want to add to my pain? If you can’t help me, at least don’t kill me before my time. Please.
Lukman: (steps away and offers her a seat) Have a seat.
Mustakeemah: (tiredly staring at them) Please… if you want to help then help me. If you can’t, then both of you should leave. Leave, please. (she angrily leaves)
Abdulhakeem: Mustakeemah!!!
Lukman: (angrily walks away)
---
Mustakeemah: (enters the prison and angrily faces the wall) Why me? Why?? (breaks down in tears) I’m scared to face You, ya Allah! How much longer must I shout before You answer? If I still have reason to live, show me the way… but if not, take back what belongs to You. I’m tired, please—please I’m tired. How long must I prove how tired I am? This is too much… (her cries draw neighbours’ and police attention)
Followers: Mustakeemah, what happened? Please stop crying…
Mustakeemah: Leave me alone! (she yells) Leave me! If you’re tired of seeing me like this then kill me! Kill meeeee! (falls to her knees and hits the wall) I’m tired…
Police men and women: (watch over her)