The Lion’s Den - S01 E16

2 years ago

The Lion’s Den - S01 E16

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 16

The people who were there in the court and had sat near Uncle Malema quickly got and took him outside. They then started fanning him in order to revive him from his state of unconsciousness. This went on till uncle Malema slowly woke up sitted down on a log of tree where he had been made to sit.

“What happened? Stop holding me” unle Malema said.

“You had fainted”

“Who? Me? Faint? Get out”

“Yes you did.”

“No way. Excuse me” uncle said standing up to leave.

“In case you may be interested, they have said that you have to pay the money you charged Edmond to the last coin of it”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes and that’s what made you faint?”

“This is foolishness”

Uncle immediately stood up and walked into the courtroom. As he was about to enter, Edmond and Agatha were getting out of the boxes in which they had stood. Uncle Malema stood there looking so pissed as he looked at the bench which ha passed the verdict and then at Edmond.

“You must be so foolish. How do you expect me to pay back the K23,000 to him when he had used our daughter for more than 7 years? Are you out of your minds! For using our daughter we were supposed to reduce the price.” Shouted uncle on top of his hoarse voice.

The people there were holding their mouths as they felt sorry for what was going to happen to him being that disrespectful to the judicial officials. Immediately the court security walked to him and politely talked to him to stop what he was doing but he could stop showing how energetic he was.

“Get hold of him and him here” ordered the jury.

The court security tried to hold him but uncle Malema being and ex army man overpowered the guy and threw him to the ground. Seeing this, other security officers walked to where uncle Malema was and tried manhandling him of which they managed after giving him some nasty knocks and punches.

At the order of the court, uncle Malema was taken directly to the box where the judges had to say something about his conduct. Obviously, the judges were not pleased with his behavior of disrupting the peaceful atmosphere of the court.

“You think this is your house you can shout and do as you wish? I wonder how you became the go-between for this marriage we have dissolved. And looking at your behavior no wonder this married couldn’t last any longer. You have no sense in you. And as a matter of fact and for the sake of teaching you a lesson, you are going to jail for one month and with hard labour. Case closed.” Said the judge.

After saying that, uncle Malema was taken out of the court to the remand room awaiting for the police vehicle to come and take then to prison.

Uncle Malema sat there in the room with other convicted people awaiting to be taken to prison. He looked at this young muscular man who sat on his right hand side with red eyes like sunset sky, lips as dark as charcoal, with some dreads on his head, his face saying it all that marijuana was his ‘girlfriend’. Uncle Malema started wondering how a human being could be transformed in such a manner. Uncle Malema got carried away with the looks of the guy that he did not even realize that he was looking at him at a supersonic gaze.

“Hey, you have any problem with me?” The guy asked.

It was then that uncle Malema realised that his look has been making someone uncomfortable. He did not even ask but looked away at the barglared door. His eyes then met with the eyes of his wife who had come to check on him before leaving.

“Look at you! Do you see now what I meant when I said that your impatience will land you in trouble? You are too much in a haste when doing things.” His wife said.

“What were you expecting me to do seeing that there is an injustice being done?”

“Which injustice?”

“Repaying all such an amount”

“Paying back that money is now a problem but when you were bigheadedly charging it was justice? Huh?”

“Are you here to worsen things or help me?”

“I have come to make you realize how haste you have been and what it has landed you. Actually the money which was said to be paid was not that K23,000 but the k300 which was the one to be paid back after marriage dissolution”

“K300?!”

“Yes. Who do you think would just use our daughter for free? K23,000 is for us parents”

“But why did you stop me when I was misbehaving in court?”

“Do you listen to anyone when you are in that mood? Anyway, am going home. I will come to see you in jail on Monday” the wife said leaving him there.

Uncle Malema sat back as he had stood up to talk to his wife. Sense started dawning on him as to what he had done on that particular day.

“Impatience will kill me” he said to himself feeling sorry though it was too late.

———————————————————–

The day was set when Agatha’s family was to return the k300 payment to signify the end of the marriage. On this day when both families had met, they had to agree on certain things before returning the money. They had to talk about who was going to be in custody of the children and how the assets were going to be shared.

It was agreed that the custody of children be given to Agatha and Edmond to be taking child support every month. This was so because by the virtue of being a man who is too mobile, the children would not receive the much needed attention from the parent. On the issue of the assets it was suggested that the assets to be shared equally between the two parties.

“Yes, we have come with this suggestion knowing that when the man was working, the wife was also home working, helping the man to make more money” said the uncle who had taken over uncle Malema as he was serving his one month jail term.

“That would okay for the things that they bought together when married. As for the things which Edmond bought before getting married, he will have them alone.” Said Edmond’s uncle.

“Those are challenges that come when sharing things come. How do we know that these were bought before marriage? Because it’s possible to start lying about what was bought when”

“Are you saying these two people can lie to us?”

“No they may not lie but according to law, those things brought before marriage can be excluded from being shared at divorce if only the couple signed the prenuptial document at the start of their marriage without that document, everything has to be shared.” Said Agatha’s uncle.

“Listen to me very well, ….” Edmond’s uncle started.

“Uncle, it’s okay. Let us share. This is the only thing he will have since he doesn’t even work. We will share everything equally” Edmond said.

Though a little misunderstanding almost broke out due to the words of Edmond against Agatha’s uncle, the two parties came to terms and agreed that they would share the assets on the next day in the morning. Agatha’s uncle then returned the money to Edmonds uncle to signify the end of the marriage.

“Let’s go. I want to use this money to black out myself” said Edmond’s uncle as they walked out.

———————————————————-

Edmond drove home slowly as he played ‘Today my world slipped away’ by George Strait. When he was a short distance away from his home, he saw some people running towards the direction he was heading to. He got curious to know what was happening but as he was in the vehicle he drove safely and slowly.

When he saw the people all over the side of the road where his house was, he got worried. When she saw the smoke coming from the point of his home, he immediately packed his car beside the road and run towards the group of people.

When he got at his home, he found that the whole house was on fire as culminating smoke came of the windows. There were some people who were trying to get some things out but it was not an ease thing. The struggle was going on while Edmond stood there not knowing what to do next.