By Baba Galleh Jallow
Justice Immasculate Fanabululu sat there, his chin on his palms, his elbows on the large mahogany desk. He stared below at the defense counsel as the lawyer listed the various reasons why his client should be granted bail. Justice Immasculate Fanabululu did not really hear what the defense counsel was saying. All he needed to know was that counsel was applying for bail. The rest, as far as he was concerned, was of little consequence to him because he was no position to grant or refuse bail. He was there to do whatever it was the powers that be wanted him to do with any accused person brought before his court. So Justice Immasculate Fanabululu, bored to death, just sat there and day-dreamed as counsel for the defense ranted on about constitutional rights etc etc.
Suddenly aware that counsel for the defense had finished ranting about constitutional rights and the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and similar nonsense, the magistrate ordered silence and announced that this court would take a brief recess in order to consider the matter of the defense counsel’s application for bail.
Back in his office, Justice Immasculate Fanabululu picked up his phone and dialed. Some one picked up the phone.
“Hello. This is Justice Immasculate Fanabululu, trying a case under the orders of His Excellency the President. I would like to speak to His Excellency please. He said to call him with any questions.”
Justice Immasculate Fanabululu was put on hold. For twenty long minutes, he sat there holding the receiver in his sweating palm to his sweating ear. He felt sleepy but dared not so much as move lest His Excellency comes to the line. He wanted to take a leak but dared not move. He pressed his legs together to prevent the pee from licking out. He was in such a hurry to get His Excellency on the line that he had forgotten to use the bathroom before calling. Now he was paying for his stupid mistake. He had been made to hold the line for up to one hour or more before and if that happened today, he would have no option but to let it go and change into his other gown. He had done it before and found himself in a serious quandary. That is why he always brought an extra gown with him to the court and kept it in his drawer, just in case. He hated this stupid case because unlike the others, he had received no specific orders at to what to do. Often he was told jail the defendant for ten, fifteen, twenty years, for life, as the case might be. Or he was just told, kill him. Then he knew exactly what to do. But on this one, His Excellency had not issued any specific order to follow. He had just said, I want the defendant jailed. And so he had to call to make sure because he did not want to do anything stupid. One never knows with the Big Oga. Better sure than sorry. And so he pressed his thighs together and held on to the line for dear life.
After twenty long minutes, Justice Immasculate Fanabululu jumped in his seat when the unmistakable voice of His Powerful Excellency suddenly boomed into his buzzing head.
“Yes?”
“Eh Your Excellency, Justice Immasculate Fanabululu here. Sorry to interrupt your busy schedule sir. Hope your day is going well sir.”
Justice Immasculate Fanabululu had almost forgotten what he had called the president about. Beads of sweat ran down his face as he tried frantically to remember.
“Yes?”
“Yes sir Your Excellency. You know we are always here to serve you sir and sometimes we hate to disturb your busy schedule sir.”
“Look you better tell me why you called. Don’t you know that as head of state I have other important things to do?”
“Oh yes sir please accept my apologies sir. Eh - it’s about Case X sir. The defense lawyer is applying for bail and making a lot of noise about the constitution sir. But for me what is important is what Your Excellency wants me to do sir.”
“So why did you call then?” His Excellency sounded miffed, and that was not a good sign.
“Just to know what Your Excellency wants me to do sir because this lawyer is making a lot of noise in my court about bail and stuff sir.”
“You want to tell me that you don’t know what I expect you to do? If that is the case you better prepare to go back to your country. I have no time for this. Anyway, send them to jail without possibility of fines.”
“Yes Your Excellency sir . . .”
The line went dead. Justice Immasculate Fanabululu froze in mid sentence. His Powerful Excellency had loudly banged the phone on his ears and left him with the mournful drone of a dead line. Justice Immasculate Fanabululu was sweating profusely and shaking from head to toes. He had forgotten all about wanting to pee. He grabbed a kerchief and wiped his drenched face and neck. Clumsily placing down the receiver, he struggled to compose himself well enough to go back into the courtroom. He cursed himself for his stupidity. He was simply trying to please the Big Oga and look what he has done to himself. The thought that he might be fired and sent back to his native country to become just another face among the crowds of uneducated tricksters was too terrible to contemplate. He could never go through the same shit he had endured before receiving the support he needed to get on the list of interested candidates for magistracy in this country. He winced at the memory of the extreme humiliation he felt working as a pimp for corrupt politicians, cleaning the offices and toilets of useful contacts, sometimes being forced to bend down and get injected with streams of slimy rot. No, he would die if he was fired from that position. He would rather die. But maybe if he did the right thing today . . .
Back in the courtroom, a loud murmur arose from the audience as a stone-faced Justice Immasculate Fanabululu surfaced after what seemed like a century. He wasted no time in declaring the outcome of his reflection on the propriety of granting bail to the accused. As soon as order returned to the court, he announced his decision.
“After due consideration of the complexities involved in this very important case, I recognize that the accused have a right to bail according to the constitution and laws of this land,” he announced, pausing for dramatic effect as smiles lightened up the faces of the accused, the defense counsel, and the family and friends of the accused.
“However,” Justice Immasculate Fanabululu declared, “the defense counsel’s application for bail is hereby denied. The defendants are hereby sentenced to serve indefinite prison terms with no option of fines. Case closed.”