Battles in the shadows

THE BATTLE OF WORDS...

Laura knew that one way of defeating Rampape was to surprise him at court. She smiled as John Karabelo opened his door and almost pulled her in. He gave her a cup of coffee and they sat down.

"Where have you been? Everyone was worried sick about you."

"I am sorry but I needed to do some things on my own."

"Where did you go?"

"Looking for witnesses, to testify against that murderer."

"What?"

"Our old neighbours. They must have witnessed the murder."

"Did you find any?"

"Yes. But they refused to testify. They are afraid their family would get hurt."

"I tried that too and I found two of your former neighbours."

"You did?" Laura became excited. Her heart wanted to dance. Moloi has no way out.

"Did you manage to get them to agree?"

"Oh yes! Moloi will get the shock of his life."

"I hope all this ends soon."

"Your parents have been worried sick."

"I know. But I needed to do this on my own. I'm going home now. See you tomorrow at

Court." She waved goodnight and left.

*********

The crowd at the courtroom had increase than the first day of the trial. Laura was nowhere in sight. Rampape and his clients were worried that this change would destroy Moloi's chances of going free. The police have searched and could not locate Laura and this devastated her family. Their greatest fear was that Laura might end up like Lorato Moloi; dead.

Unknown to them all, someone else was in the courtroom. She had conducted her search for Laura and was successful. Her errand boys tracked the girl down and found her at Molepolole and she was safe. She felt the worst hit of the entire situation. After all it was her fault that Laura was going through the entire trauma she went through. She quickly dries her tears as more people came in and some sat beside her. The judge came in and everyone became silent.

Latoya's face was swollen from crying. She had fasted and prayed since Laura had been missing. Either she was safe or not she prayed to God that she was in the right frame of mind and that she will come back home.

"She will come home. Stop the tears. The Lord is in control." Joel Rakwela tried to comfort his wife. They were both listening to Rampape's plead to the court that his client had nothing to do with Laura Rakwela's disappearance. Nobody in the courtroom believed him, including the judge. The trial went on anyway. Rampape could not figure out why his opponent was calm and collected when his only witness was missing.

"All rise in court!" the bailiff said and every body rose for the judge.

"Mr. Karabelo. Where is your witness?"

"She will be here sir. We can start."

A man walked up to the podium and swore that he would say nothing but the truth. Rampape was shocked. The man was the one his client had claimed was having an affair with Lorato Moloi. They had tried to bribe him but he refused. His presence was the beginning of a great fall for both Rampape and his client Patrick Moloi. Moloi was also in shock because he was not sure whose side his ex- best friend was on.

"Your honour, my first witness Dr. David Bok. The man that was supposed to have had an affair with Lorato Moloi."

"Carry on Mr. Karabelo," the judge urged him

"For how long have you been friends with Mr. Patrick Moloi?"

"From our Childhood days. We were very close." Bok replied.

"Mr. Bok, could you describe Lorato Moloi for us all."

"She was warm, gentle and kind. I sometimes wondered how Patrick managed to convince her to marry him." He said with a small smile.

"Who killed Lorato Moloi?"

"I... I don't know. But the police said Patrick did."

"Were you having an affair with Lorato Moloi before she died?"

The question shocked David Bok.

"She was like a little sister to me."

"Where were you on that morning?"

"Home. With my fiancé then, now my wife. We heard about it on the radio."

"Did he tell you what he was planning?"

"He was having a problem with Lorato. He was at fault because she was only worried about his drinking."

"I have nothing more to ask him."

Barrister Rampape had no question for the witness and the next witness was called forward. It was a man probably in his late fifties. He swore to tell the truth and the questioning started.

"Mr. Rapoo. Where were you that fateful morning?" Mr. Karabelo asked firmly.

"I was just about to come outside to do my gardening. I heard a gunshot and I looked out of the window after wards."

"What did you see Mr. Rapoo?"

"I saw the little girl crying and screaming. By the time I rushed out she already passed out."

"So you did not see the perpetrator?"

"No."

"Did you see Mr. Moloi anywhere around the scene?"

"Not at all. I wondered though why he wasn't there."

"Thank you Mr. Rapoo, I have no other question."

The questions the lawyers asked seem too shallow. Things changed the moment the next witness walked up to the podium.

"Mrs. Setshwantsho, please tell us what you saw on that fateful morning?"

The chubby woman was already crying before she started speaking. She dried her tears and sighed.

"I was cleaning my windows that morning. I remember I woke up very early because a friend's daughter was getting married. I saw Lorato rushing out of her house with her little girl loading luggage in the car. I knew that the marriage was over then."

"What do you mean?"

"Lorato and her child usually come to my house after a big argument with her husband. I remembered that the night before lorato lost her life, she came to my house. She had bruises on her cheeks and her face was swollen. She said she wanted to leave."

"Mrs. Setshwantsho, lets get back to that morning. What did you see after she left the house with the luggage?"

"I heard a gunshot. It came from inside the house. Lorato yelled at her child, I couldn't here what she was saying. But Laura ran inside the car and as she was about to start the car, I saw Mr. Moloi coming out of the house with a gun."

Mr. Rampape buried his head in his hands, his client was toast.

"He opened the door of her car and pulled her out of the car forcefully. I ran inside to call my husband by the time I came back, she was shot and Mr. Moloi was nowhere in sight. The poor girl. She was crying and then she collapsed."

"Where was Mr. Moloi after wards? Did you see him?"

"No. I didn't. But am sure he killed her."

"Thank you madam."

Barrister Rampape stood up with pride. All his colleagues envied him for his success and hated him for his arrogant and selfish nature. He rarely loses any of his cases and he knows how much he is worth. The woman's mistake was going inside her room to call her husband and he plans to use it.