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The officers who arrested Martins just as his weekend was gearing up had finally come back to their duty post. Though at this point Martins was beginning to lose it, still the officers were oblivious to his plight. Martins didn’t understand why he was being kept behind bars without an inkling of what is crime was.
Aisha had not been able to reach her husband since he was whisked away by officers of the Nigerian Police Force. Just like her husband, she had no idea of the crime he was being held for. She didn’t even know where to go looking for him but she had a feeling he wasn’t so far away. It was 6pm already , she was beginning to fear the worse. She knew she had to leave the house in search of her husband despite her condition. She couldn’t even imagine spending the night alone without her husband. She had tried his number severally and each time she did, the call was diverted to Martins’ voice mail. She called UBER and in less than 15 minutes she was on her way to the nearest Police station.
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“Officers this is so wrong, it’s a complete breach of my fundamental human rights. You’ve held me here for close to eight hours leaving me with no knowledge at all of what my offence is.” Martins began to rant the moment the officers who had invaded his residence on a Saturday morning returned from their assignments. At first they ignored him until another officer who had witnessed them bring in Martins intervened
“Corporal Olu abeg make una answer the man now. He don tey for here”
“Officer Titus wetin be your own for this matter naa. Abi you wan begin they teach me my job? Oya go bring paper come make him write statement”
“Write statement about what exactly?” Martins interjected. Officer Titus goes into a small room within the station to get the paper for the statement. He comes out almost immediately with a paper in hand.
“Oga see, you fit put anything you like for the statement,” Corporal Olu advised.
“Please officers can you just tell me why you are holding me here like a common criminal?”
“Oh, so you really don’t know your offence?”
“No I don’t!”
“Them say you rape one small girl for Otolorin street inside Lawanson,” Corporal Gabriel, the other officer who was with Corporal Olu added.
“Huh! I didn’t get that.”
Who this one they follow talk? Abeg Titus give am paper make him write statement jare. Rapist like you,”
“Officers you are getting things wrong here, I swear you have the wrong person. Why on earth will I even think of raping anyone when I have a beautiful wife at home?”
“You mean that heavily pregnant woman we saw at your place. You are joker!” Corporal Olu teased. Titus I say make you give am paper make him write statement jare. Officer Titus hands him the paper. Martins collects it grudgingly.
“Officers I swear I don’t know what you are talking about”
“Shebi you see say na official letter headed paper we give you so. Na 200 naira be that,” Corporal Olu disclosed.
“200 naira for what?”
“For the paper naa”
“Erm…officers 200 naira is not an issue, the issue here is that I have no idea what this is about”
“Okay I will help you since you are acting like you don’t know why we came to arrest you. At the end of the day you will see tell us the truth…Do you know Miss Runo Oghenekaro?”
“Runo? Yes I know her….wait a minute! Was she the girl that was raped?”
“Yes! she was the girl you raped,” Corporal Gabriel lent his voice.
“Oh my God! I don’t believe you officers”
“Whether you believe us or not, that’s your problem. That’s the paper, I will tell you what to write since you’ve forgotten how it happened. Oga where were Friday night,” Corporal Olu continued.
By this time, Aisha had reached the entrance of the police station and was making her way to the room where her husband was being held.
“Oga where were you last night?” Corporal Olu asked Martins just as his wife walked in. Martins looked up as his wife approached, “Aisha!”
“Baby are you okay?” Aisha was shocked to see Martins behind bars.
“Madame wetin you find come station under this condition?” Corporal Olu confronted Aisha.
“Officers please what’s going on? Why is my husband behind bars?”
“Madame, your husband is a rapist”
“My husband -a rapist? No Officer you are mistaken. You’ve got the wrong person”
“Okay, so you are the right person?” Corporal Olu asked sarcastically
“Oga, oya answer the question wey we ask you before your wife enter? Where were you last night?” Corporal Gabriel lent his voice
“I was at an event”
“Which event?” Martins takes a quick glance look at his wife
“Oh, you don’t want your wife to know ba?” Corporal Gabriel quipped.
“Lagos Fashion week,” Martins said silently
“The same event the lady you raped participated in,” Corporal Olu continued his interrogation.
“What lady, officer? What are you talking about?”
“Maybe not at the event. Anyways where you raped her doesn’t really matter, we just need to establish that you were with her at the time she was raped. We weren’t expecting that you would confess to your crimes. And madam you know rape victims hardly come out to talk about it, at least you be woman” Corporal Olu’s last statement addressed specifically to Martins’ wife confused Aisha. It still felt like a nightmare to her after she the heard the officers accuse her husband of rape.
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“Officers, Martins didn’t rape me, he only dropped me off at the house. Someone else did,” Runo revealed as she walked into the room in the company of Mr. Obong and Uju. Aisha is totally confused at Runo’s presence and ponders on her connection with the incident. She turns to her husband in anguish
“So this was the thing you were with last night. Oh God! I can’t believe have been a fool all along”
“No sweetie, it’s not what you think,” Martins attempts to calm his wife down.
“Oh shut up! I’m tired of your lies Martins, I should I’ve known better. To hell with you Martins,” Aisha stormed out of the station. “Get out of my way bitch!” She shoved Runo aside as the young girl falls hard on the ground.
“Aisha please don’t leave me here!”