Bound ✅

No Words

Hey guys, Hi. I just want to say that I am still not yet a law student, never attended a trial, so please don't expect too much.

Please comment as you go. Love you.

The judgement was like a blessing in disguise, it came at a time where everyone had smartphones and smarter heads and could decipher things for themselves, they could see that the Judges had been bought, so a trend started on the bird app, #justiceforHalimaetal. The tag was shared far and wide and even lawmakers used it.

It forced the military to set up an inquiry and soon the date of a Martial trial was set. On the morning of the trial, Halima wore a beige skirt and white blouse with a black stretchy material fashioned into a hijab, sturdy black sandals on her feet, she carried a black YSL bag that Jamal bought her in Prague for luck.

In the tinted bus Hafsat's firm had hired on their way there, they picked up three other women, who had similar damning testimonies to give and  Halima was sure, this time justice would prevail.

"So he told his uncle?" Kemi clapped her hands in mirrored surprise. "I don't even know what he did, I just know Chike's uncle went on the floor of the house of representatives and talked about the spate of rape cases and how he wants to ask the Judicial council why such a case would be struck out. Didn't you see the footage?" She asked Halima with a little laugh, they had all seen Chike's uncle argue vociferously about their case on television.

Halima sat back, watching Kemi's animated face as she talked offhandedly about Chike. "Do you like him?" Halima asked finally. Kemi sighed and rolled her eyes. Halima widened her own eyes.

"Madam! Answer me." Kemi sighed and folded her hands on her lap in slight fear.

"I like him, but he's Igbo." Halima eyed Kemi with a sneer. "Yen yen yen, he's Igbo, yet you are friends with a Hausa woman. Tell me your exact issue!" Halima subtly looked around the bus, she had shouted a bit.

" His uncle called me his nephew's fiance, I was shocked. I was wondering when Chike asked me to marry him?" Kemi chuckled softly, she took Halima's hand that was resting on another seat that Lahima and both barristers occupied.

"I like him doesn't mean that I will be with him. Especially seeing as the whole world knows I'm defiled? It's hard to think that someone loves me." Halima could not hide her surprise this time around, she softly slapped Kemi's mouth.

"We'll discuss this matter later, we're at the army headquarters." Kemi nodded and picked her handbag from the empty seat beside her. Hajarah and Hafsat got off the vehicle first, helped Lahima who wore a fitted midi skirt off the vehicle.

"Ladies," Hafsat called to all of them as they all had stepped off the vehicle, the other women were secret witnesses, also victims of the three evil brothers.

"This trial, although a little similar to a normal court trial, is harder than a court trial, they will try to make you look stupid, but stand your ground, say your truth as much as you can and get off the witness stand. Okay?" They all nodded and started off into a huge building at the back of the headquarters. Heels hitting the hot cobblestones in a conducted staccato, clank-clank.

Soon, an army recruit was opening the door of the building for them to enter, they got in and froze at the number of army officers from all three military parastatals; Navy, Air force and the Army.

"Don't fret, they don't dare do nonsense, the whole world is watching. And I have someone doing a video of the whole thing, if they do rubbish, next minute, it's on the internet, they'll explain to the world why they didn't give justice." Hafsat whispered furiously to them as they walked to their seats. They took seats beside each other, Hafsat and Hajarah, walked to the front.