The Poor Pastor - S01 E04

Story 4 months ago

The Poor Pastor - S01 E04

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 4

The Poor Pastor, Episode 4

“Officer, I am here to see the DPO. It is very urgent and it concerns the case of Pastor Uche. Please let him know that his lawyer is here to see him,” Daniel said as he stood firmly at the front desk of the police station.

From the moment he saw the CCTV footage at the bank, he did not waste a second. He knew that the evidence in his laptop could change everything. He arrived at the police station with confidence, ready to fight for justice. After a few minutes of waiting, one of the officers returned and asked him to follow. He was led through the corridor and taken straight into the DPO’s office.

Daniel walked in, greeted briefly, and sat down without hesitation. “Good afternoon, sir. My name is Barrister Daniel. I am here as the legal representative of Pastor Uche. I believe you already have him in your custody,” he said.

The DPO looked at him with surprise. He did not expect a lawyer to show up so quickly. He adjusted his seat and spoke carefully. “Oh, so the pastor has a lawyer now. That is interesting. What exactly do you want?” he asked.

Daniel did not waste time. “Sir, I am here because an innocent man is being detained and falsely accused of armed robbery and murder. I have evidence in my possession that clearly shows that Pastor Uche did not commit any crime. In fact, he acted bravely to stop one of the robbers. I am here to present that evidence and demand his immediate release,” he said firmly.

The DPO leaned back slightly and folded his arms. “You say you have evidence. I would like to see it. Go ahead,” he said.

Daniel opened his laptop immediately and played the CCTV footage. The video showed everything clearly, including the moment the robbers entered the bank, the panic in the hall, and how Pastor Uche crawled carefully behind the table. It showed how he grabbed the robber, struggled with him, and disarmed him. It also showed that the other robbers escaped through the back door while Pastor Uche remained behind.

The DPO watched the video without speaking. His face remained calm, but his eyes followed every movement on the screen. When the video ended, Daniel closed the laptop slowly and looked at him.

“Sir, you have seen it with your own eyes. Pastor Uche is not a robber. He is a hero. He saved lives. There is no reason for him to be in your cell. I am requesting that you release him immediately,” Daniel said.

The DPO nodded slowly as if he understood everything, but his next words shocked Daniel.

“Yes, I have seen the video. It is clear that he was not part of the robbery. However, that does not change the fact that a man was shot dead. Whether he was a robber or not, your client pulled the trigger and killed him. So he will still be charged to court for murrder, where he will have the opportunity to defend himself,” the DPO said calmly.

“Sir, with all due respect, that is not justice. That was a life-threatening situation. He acted in self-defense and in the defense of others. The law recognizes that. There is no case here. This man should not spend another minute in your cell,” he said firmly.

The DPO shook his head slightly. “Barrister, you are free to argue all that in court. That is where such matters are settled. For now, he remains in custody,” he replied.

Daniel leaned forward, anger rising in his voice. “Sir, this is not just about court procedure. This is about fairness. Why are you insisting on keeping an innocent man in custody when the evidence is already clear? What exactly is the problem?” he asked.

The DPO looked at him directly and spoke without hesitation. “Your client had the opportunity to resolve this matter quietly, but he refused. He refused to cooperate,” he said.

Daniel frowned. “What do you mean by cooperate?” he asked.

The DPO replied bluntly, “I asked him to bring one million naira so that we could settle the matter without stress, but he refused. So now, the case will follow the normal process. He will be charged to court.”

“Are you serious right now? You asked an innocent man for a bribe of one million naira just to release him? Do you even hear yourself? This is corruption in its purest form. You are punishing a man for refusing to bribe you,” Daniel said angrily.

The DPO did not flinch. “Barrister, be careful how you speak in my office. I am not here to argue with you. The decision has been made. Your client will be charged to court tomorrow. If you believe he is innocent, then go and prove it there,” he said firmly.

Daniel stood up slowly, his anger still visible. “Very well. If that is how you want it, then we will meet in court. I will defend Pastor Uche, and I will make sure the truth comes out. What you are doing here will not stand,” he said.

Watch out for Episode 5