The Trial of Kaburu (Episode 1)

By

Ayuk Kure

No one could tell precisely what had come about but whatever happened must have been really horrible. Trouble smelled everywhere and gloom loomed. Even, the songs of freedom which had been the bane of the morning had ceased and those who had gone to witness the epoch making event at the Kwambana square had suddenly returned. Men of the army had now begun to mount major road blocks in the country and the police had gone to join the Customs Service at the borders and the city gates to secure them. Those who had been around when the broadcast was made on the radio said that the Minister of Information and Telecommunication, Bitrus Kwali had ordered that all the borders of the country be kept under lock and key until further instructions were given for their opening. Men of the Zugarian army were to immediately mount all the major road blocks in the country and the air force was to maintain surveillance on the nation’s air ways from 2100 GMT to about 1800 GMT the next day.  The navy was also to restrict movement at the nation’s ports and ships scheduled to leave the country were to be delayed until the next day after a thorough search had been conducted on them and were certified free of any fugitive. As well, every citizen was to be indoors until 1000 GMT the next day.

Later on that evening, after the turbulence had been quailed and normalcy had returned to the capital city, the ceremonial leader of the country, His Excellency, Pelus Gimba came on the radio to break the News:

“Fellow Zugarians: the sinister forces of retrogression, hooliganism and barbarism made a deep cut on our national fabric today. Today, it has become glaring that the forces fighting our dear nation are not just those of neocolonialism and poverty as we presupposed but terrorism; divisionism and blood thirst have joined in. Today, the lioness is fallen and the iroko which provided shed for the country has been chopped down by the axes of wickedness and blood thirst. Fellow citizens…the Prime Minister is dead!”

President Gimba managed to conclude his announcement amidst tears by saying that the crime would not go unpunished and that the government would engage the most capable hands to bring to justice everyone who had played a role in the assassination of the Prime Minister.

At the announcement, a wail broke out in the city and it soon transfused to other parts of the country which saw several men and women crying their eyes red as though the Prime Minister were a member of their immediate families. The death of the Prime Minister, Mrs. Petra Damilo, was a big blow on Zugaria’s young democracy. She had represented hope for the African woman and a symbol of change that was sweeping across Zugaria and Africa at large. Alas, her death made a mockery of that belief.

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It had been a very beautiful morning –a day many Zugarians had looked forward to celebrating the nation’s 50th independence anniversary and formal inauguration of the first female Prime Minister in Africa. The ceremony which was held at the Kwambana square had in attendance dignitaries from all over the world. The United Nations Secretary General as well as the presidents of America, Nigeria, South Africa, Bulgaria and other African countries were there. This was perhaps, the grandest ceremony of the Zugarian people as it also afforded them the opportunity to showcase their rich cultural heritage.

The occasion started with a performance by Zugaria’s singing sensation, Tuhands Dibia who thrilled the audience with his ‘African Mama’. His rendition was flawless and it sent chills through his listeners’ bodies. He was vigorously applauded by the Prime Minister who had specially requested that he come do the song at her inauguration given its importance on the African landscape. There were also calisthenics displays by Secondary School students from across the country and other striking presentations by the cultural troop of Zugaria.

After the formal inauguration of the Prime Minister by the Chief Justice of Zugaria, She was invited for her independence speech which she titled “50 and still waxing strong”. She started by thanking the nationalists who through resilience and commitment had ensured that the country gained her independence from its colonial masters. According to her, although it was the belief of the colonialist that the nationals of the country would be unable to lead the country for long, alas, that was an impotent prophecy because the nation has not only remained independent for 50 years but it has begun to achieve sustainable development. She further said that although independence called for celebration, however, for the Zugarian people, it was a time of reflection and repositioning. She finally promised that for the confidence reposed in her by citizens of the country, she would fulfill her electoral promise of making Zugaria truly great and home for all and generations yet unborn.

As the Prime Minister made to conclude her speech, the deadly bullet came and within minutes, she and the bodyguards with her were down. The bullet had passed through the esophagus of the body guard in front of her before shattering her own neck and eventually that of the bodyguard behind. All three of them fell down flat and the square was razed in fear and confusion. Where the bullet came from and who committed this hideous crime is still a mystery.

The Government of Zugaria has engaged a special investigator to uncover the killer(s) of the Prime Minister and the government has asked you to address them on the following legal issues bearing in mind that the laws and constitution of Zugaria are in pari materia with those of your country, Nigeria:

1. Identify the offence(s) that have been committed in the above scenario.
2. Couch 5 legal issues you would bring before the court for determination assuming you were granted fiat by the Attorney General of Zugaria to prosecute the matter.

 Watch out for ‘The Trial of Kaburu, Part II’

Photo credit: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tZYvv_s5R-s