Abdulhakeem: (patiently waiting for Mustakeemah in the discussion room) Where is she? Let them bring her now. I hope she is ok. (stretches his neck)
Mustakeemah: (finally appears in the room accompanied by the female police)
Police woman: You have less than ten minutes. (she slams the door)
Mustakeemah: (she has a seat and looks away)
Abdulhakeem: How are you doing, my dear? How are you feeling now? I hope you aren't hurt anywhere, hmm?
Mustakeemah: (bones her face as she looks away) I’m fine.
Abdulhakeem: What’s wrong? Did someone hurt you in prison? Just say it and I will deal with them.
Mustakeemah: I said I’m fine! What brings you here?
Abdulhakeem: (adjusts his seat) I came to check on you and to ask some important questions. I want you to be honest with me.
Mustakeemah: Ok, go ahead.
Abdulhakeem: Can you please explain how you met Mubarak and how you ended up in his house?
Mustakeemah: (she looks away and begins to narrate the part he asked for without showing much emotion)
Abdulhakeem: (notices her behaviour but chooses to listen) So your guardian sold you to Mubarak in exchange for money?
Mustakeemah: (she nods, avoiding eye contact)
Abdulhakeem: I heard he forced you into marriage with him. Is that true?
Mustakeemah: Yes. My aunt and her husband also attended the small nikah conducted in the living room.
Abdulhakeem: So what happened next?
Mustakeemah: At times he raped me and beat me mercilessly… he molested me several times and gave me pills after raping me.
Abdulhakeem: (jaw drops) He did all that to you?
Mustakeemah: (says nothing and looks away)
Abdulhakeem: Please look me in the eyes and talk to me. You looking away is killing me. I know you’re mad at me for everything, but please forgive me and give me the chance to help you. Hearing what you said now is so heartbreaking.
Mustakeemah: Why did you come here to ask me all these questions?
Abdulhakeem: To take over your case, of course.
Mustakeemah: Did I ask for it? Did I complain about my lawyer? Or do you think I can’t survive without you? Fine — you walked away and chased me out of your life and I lived a life of hell and still survived. So you think I can’t leave this place without you? I don’t need your help, so leave my life alone.
Abdulhakeem: (stares at her for a moment) Mustakeemah, please listen to me— (before he can finish she gets up and leaves) Oh God! Mustakeemah, please… (he hits the table)
Mustakeemah: (angrily walks back to the prison) I won’t fall for this again.
Abdulhakeem: (as he is about to leave he bumps into Lukman)
Lukman: Can I see you for a few minutes?
Abdulhakeem: (exhales softly) Of course. Let’s go.
---
Outside the police station
Lukman: Uhmm, first of all I’m sorry for the disturbance. At first I wanted to overlook it, but I have no choice — I must call your attention to this.
Abdulhakeem: (adjusts his position) Ok, I’m listening.
Lukman: Ever since I knew you had some connection with Mustakeemah, I also heard you withdrew from the case because of her.
Abdulhakeem: That’s right.
Lukman: Secondly, I know what you’re trying to do, but ever since you left her life and nobody was there for her, I stood by her during her tough times and saved her several times — not by my will but by the grace of Allah. So the fact that I heard you want to take over her case is something I can’t allow. This case is now between you and me. You are Mubarak’s lawyer, so be it — but stay away from her life. Ever since she set her eyes on you, her life kept getting worse, so please don’t add more pain to our lives. Stay away from us. That’s all I have to say — you know nothing about what she went through or what she is currently going through, so please stay away from our lives.
Abdulhakeem: (sighs heavily) I understand what you’ve said, but there is something you don’t know. I met her before you did, and I don’t care what’s between you two — she belongs to me and I’m ready to fight for her till my last breath. I appreciate that you saved her several times, but she belongs to me now and forever. Please step aside from this case and leave our lives.
Lukman: (chuckles) You’re a funny guy, but I don’t think you know what’s really going on in her life. So please step away and leave her to me. I don’t care what you feel for her — she is mine as well. Maybe she once liked you, but not anymore; it’s obvious she doesn’t want you in her life again. So please don’t add to her pain and stay away from us. Please, I’m begging you. (stretches out his hands) Please… (he tries to leave, then speaks again)
Abdulhakeem: I am not leaving her alone whether you like it or not.
Lukman: (faces him as both stand) Young man, I’m not here to fight — I’m here to make something very clear. You need to stay away from her because you will later dump her once you find out the truth. So better leave before she even notices. But I will still stand by her till my last breath.
Abdulhakeem: (curious) And what is that? Tell me if you really think I’m going to walk away from her life just like that.
Lukman: Oh — you really want to know?
Abdulhakeem: (angrily takes more steps towards him as they face each other) Yes, I want to know!
Lukman: Ok then… Mustakeemah is carrying Mubarak’s child. She’s four months pregnant for that monster called Mubarak.
Abdulhakeem: Excuse me! What? (shocked)
Lukman: Yeah. He raped her so badly that she lost her first pregnancy. He beat her until she miscarried, and she had to fight to save her second pregnancy — that was the day he lost his life, while she was defending her baby. All she did was self-defence. Now that you know the truth, what do you want to do about it?
Abdulhakeem: (speechless, still in shock)
Lukman: Exactly the reaction I expected. So stay away from her. (he walks away)
Abdulhakeem: (falls back on the chair) What did… did he just say? M–Mustakeemah is pregnant? Right now? (panting heavily)
---
A few days later — In the courtroom
Lawyer Aregbeshola: My Lord, if I may, I’d like to call upon my witness to the stand.
Judge: Yes, you may.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: Thank you, My Lord. (faces the audience) Mr. Moses, please come to the witness box.
Mustakeemah: (wondering who he is and what he has to say)
Lukman: (gives her eye contact, but she doesn’t understand)
Abdulhakeem and his family join the audience.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: Welcome, sir. Please, can you tell us what happened between Mr. Mubarak and Mr. Suraj?
Mr. Moses: My name is Moses John, and I was the late Mr. Mubarak’s personal assistant. On the 2nd of July, 2018, Mr. Suraj — one of Mr. Mubarak’s close friends — came to his office. At first, I had no idea what their discussion was about until my boss called me in. That was when I overheard part of the conversation.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: And what was that discussion about?
Mr. Moses: Well, I found Mr. Suraj on his knees, begging my boss to lend him five million naira to boost his failing business. He said his business was running down and he had a family to feed and shelter to provide. My boss initially refused, but after constant begging, he finally agreed to lend him the money.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: Thank you so much, Mr. Moses. You may go back to your seat now.
Mr. Moses: Thank you, sir.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: My Lord, if I may, I’d like to call another witness.
Judge: Yes, you may.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: Mr. Olamide, please come to the witness box.
Mr. Olamide: (obeys)
Lawyer Aregbeshola: Please state your name, how you knew the late Mr. Mubarak, and what happened that night you delivered an order to his house.
Mr. Olamide: (clears his throat) My name is Olamide Bello. I work at Domino’s Restaurant as a delivery man. That night, I came to deliver food at Mr. Mubarak’s house. As I reached the gate, I found a young lady — her, standing there (points at Mustakeemah) — lying next to the gutter. I tapped her, but she didn’t respond. I thought maybe she was dead. Mr. Mubarak opened the gate, collected his order, and noticed her too. He asked me to drop the food inside his house, and by the time I came back, I saw him trying to carry the lady. I asked him why he was helping a stranger, and he replied that he couldn’t watch someone die in front of his house. That’s when I realised Mr. Mubarak was truly a generous man with a kind heart. That’s all I witnessed, sir.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: (smiles) Thank you, Mr. Olamide. You may step down now.
Mr. Olamide: Thank you.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: (turns to the judge) As you can see, My Lord, I’ve called two witnesses. My first witness testified that Mustakeemah’s uncle begged Mubarak for a large loan of five million naira. My second witness testified that Mustakeemah was found lying by the gutter in front of Mubarak’s house. Despite being a stranger, Mubarak helped her. Clearly, this shows that Mr. Suraj — Mustakeemah’s uncle — sent her into Mubarak’s house to seduce him so that Mubarak would either lend him more money or forget about the debt. This cannot be called a coincidence.
Lukman: Objection, My Lord! (he rises to his feet)
Judge: Objection overruled. (turns to Aregbeshola) Continue.
Lawyer Aregbeshola: As I was saying, My Lord, Mustakeemah and her uncle planned this together — sending her to Mubarak’s house to seduce him, forcing him into marriage, and eventually killing him. That’s all I have to say, Your Honour.
Lukman: (angrily rises again) Your Honour, he is lying!