The Iyalode

CLICK HERE FOR PREVIOUS EPISODES

“What do you mean? What happened previously?”

“They say he do something and they take him away. Mummy and daddy is unhappy. You want to take him away too? But he not here sha, when they bring him back, you come take him”

“Who took him away?”

“Your people now” She said with a frown

“Please be explicit. Who took him away?”

“The police”

“What?” Kogberegbe was angry. The police was supposed to carry him along with their moves, why hadn’t he been informed that the boy was already taken into custody? This was his case and he had planned to take the boy by surprise, thereby judging what his expression could give away. “Can I speak with his parents?”

“They go there this morning sir”

“When was Dapo arrested?” He asked, his frown deepening.

The maid also frowned as if responding to Kogberegbe’ frown “Night in yesterday sir”

“Alright then, thank you” Kogberegbe turned away, put his sunglasses back on and headed for his car.

*****

At the police station, Kogberegbe asked the constables at the counter to show him to the DPO’s office.

“Ah, what a pleasure to have you here detective” The DPO said as Kogberegbe was ushered into his office “Please have a seat”

“Thank you DPO” Kogberegbe replied, the DPO dismissed his man who brought Kogberegbe in.

“Tea, detective?” DPO asked, reaching for the flask in front of him

“Not at all, please. I would rather go straight to the point if you don’t mind”

“I understand neither of us has the luxury of time”

“Thank you sir. I heard Dapo Ogunbodede was arrested by your men?”

“Absolutely. They sprung into action right on time. Didn’t want to risk the boy running for it”

“With due respect, I should have been informed sir.” Kogberegbe said cautiously

The DPO’s eyes narrowed “Do you question my authority, detective?

“Of course not sir. But it’s my case and an element of surprise on the boy would have helped in this investigation”

“And who says he wasn’t surprised when he got arrested? Simply because Dr. Okanlawon chose you to be on this case doesn’t mean you are better off than my men, get that straight”

Kogberegbe knew he had to thread softly on the DPO’s territory. He sighed “I apologize sir. But sir, I could have been informed”

“And you were”

“I wasn’t sir”

“Did you receive a large brown envelope detective?”

“This morning yes”

“Did you take your time to read through?”

Kogberegbe couldn’t believe his ears, an information this important, and the police couldn’t spend a few naira to call and inform him, instead they gave him a written report! “I thought I could read it a little more leisurely. I needed to get to the boy before he was tipped off”

“You must have assumed we’re a bunch of crackjacks who don’t know our job and that information sent from us to you is bullshit that you cannot waste your precious day time on, am I right detective?”

“Sir…”

“And with all of your acclaimed expertise, you thought by this morning, the boy wouldn’t already know about his girlfriend’s death and that with all of his parents’ wealth, he wouldn’t have left town?”

“Sir, I didn’t mean…”

“Tell me, if that envelope had come from one of your own, would you not have ripped it open that very instance?”

Kogberegbe couldn’t respond since it was futile.

“I thought as much” the DPO continued “This is Nigerian Police all right, but as opposed to what you people believe of us, we do our job and we do it right. I will not sit here to lecture you detective, but your method seems a little too cold and at the rate you are going, I fear the murderer would be long gone before you get your tact together”

“Sir…”

The DPO stood “I guess that’s all the conversation we’re having for one morning. I should be on my way out, really”

“I would like to question the boy sir”

He has already been questioned”

“I would like to question him anyway” Kogberegbe said firmly

The DPO looked like he might refuse but thought better of it “Fine. Suit yourself”

“Thank you DPO”

****

Kogberegbe looked down at Dapo, sitting on an old iron chair, his hands cuffed. Kogberegbe studied the boy for about five long minutes and wondered if the frail boy who cried like a baby could be bold enough to kill anyone. Apparently, he had been shown the brutality of being behind a Nigerian bar, accused of murder. For his face was beginning to swell and his torso had blood stains and scars where he’d been beaten.

“Are you alright boy?” Kogberegbe asked and the boy burst out, crying more. “It will be alright” Kogberegbe said encouragingly, sitting opposite Dapo. “I know you’ve been through much pain but you have to be cooperative so that this can end”

“I didn’t kill her! I don’t know anything!” Dapo screamed as loud as his already weak body could allow

“Hey, hey, cool down, ok?” Kogberegbe said, palms raised in reassurance “ Look, I’m your friend, the police is your friend, we are only doing our job to…”

“Your job and theirs is to beat an innocent man senseless? I’m innocent! How could I have killed the only girl I’ve ever loved and – and ever will?”

Kogberegbe’ gut told him Dapo was telling the truth but gut feeling wasn’t going to vindicate the boy, he was a prime suspect. “Listen, first, you should know that I am not a police officer. I’m a detective and my job in this case is to find whoever killed Ronke. I understand your tight spot but being defiant isn’t going to help. I was in your house this morning and I understand yoru parents are devastated with what happened. You’re their only son right?” Kogberegbe voiced his assumption.

Dapo nodded his response, his head bowed. “they weren’t even allowed to see me when they came this morning. I can’t be granted bail as I was told. I can’t imagine what my mother would be going through now. All the scorn from the neighbourhood” he looked up at Kogberegbe, his eyes still red “My father is a Reverend! What will the Church think? Everyone has a mental picture of me in cuffs and the more nights I spend here, the more convinced they are that I committed this crime” his body shook as the tears further gave way “Worst of all, I may never get acquitted”

“What makes you say that?” Kogberegbe asked

“Ronke’s parents are very influential and I know the police; a culprit must be named. If they can’t nail the right person, I will have to go down for it”

“Then you’re lucky I am on the case. I won’t rest, and this case wont close till we bring the killer to justice”

“I didn’t kill her “ Dapo said softly “I loved her”

“I know”

“You believe me?” Dapo said, looking up with a frown

“Shouldn’t i?”

“No, that is not, I mean, I was…” Dapo stuttered

“It’s alright boy. I can read through you, I could be wrong of course”

“I swear I didn’t do it”

“Hey, desperation won’t take us anywhere. And your word, even if you swear it a thousand times, won’t help in court either. We need to get evidence so, you have to help me here.” Dapo nodded vigorously and Kogberegbe continued, he’d gained the boy’s trust “when you dropped Ronke off, did you see anything unusual? Maybe someone lurking around, a car coming into the estate while you drove off- anything?”

“No sir”

“You’re going to have to do better Dapo”

“But I drove out of the estate sir, the security men waved me goodbye, I even tipped them like I always do”

“Did you now?” Kogberegbe said thoughtfully

“I know it’s not right to tip but…”

“No, it’s ok, I just hope the security men remember the last gesture. And even if they do, it may not be enough to acquit you. As far as the court is concerned, you could have sent someone to do the job”

“Oh my God, it’s all hopeless isn’t it? It’s a perfect job, whoever did it cleaned his tracks well”

“Don’t lose hope, there’s bound to be a slip, it always happen and when it does in this case, I promise you I’ll find it” Kogberegbe reassured Dapo.

****

Outside the police station, Kogberegbe sat in his car, going through the report he was given earlier on. He read Dapo’s statement but it gave no hint whatsoever. The envelope also contained the sworn statement of the estate guards. They saw Dapo bring Ronke home before 3am and saw his car leave the estate. No one else came into the estate, not even on foot. That meant the killer was already in the estate during the day, waited for his victim to be dropped off, murdered her and didn’t leave the estate till the following morning. It was beginning to look more and more like the killer resided within the estate or if he didn’t, he definitely knew someone who did.

“Hey detective” Kogberegbe looked up to see Dana’s smiling face outside his car. Dana worked with the coroner’s office and the two of them were good friends. “You could use a shower”

“Good afternoon to you too. A smiling face is refreshing enough in this sun”

“You flatter me. Well, I was going to drop the preliminary report at the police station. You have a copy so you might as well sign for it now”

“Thanks Dana” He collected the pad, signed and reached for his copy of the coroner’s report. “When will the full autopsy be ready?”

“It’ll take about a week” Dana said, her lips curving “and that’s why Mr. Rauf made this prem ready so fast so you can have something to work on”

“Thanks babe, you’re an angel” Kogberegbe continued to smile

“Yea right” She said, rolling her eyes “got to go detective. See you around”

“Keep that face shinning” Kogberegbe said waving. He unsealed the report and flipped through it, hoping something in the report might give him a clue. The first two paragraphs were the usual medical jargons that Kogberegbe would never understand. He wondered why Doctors could never write in layman’s English, they just had to prove the write up was made by a Doc. Kogberegbe already had all the information contained in the report, he glanced up briefly to wave to Dana who emerged from the police station. The third page of the report however made Kogberegbe’ heart beat faster . Ronke was two months pregnant as at the time of her death.

“Oh no!” Kogberegbe hissed. He shouldn’t have trusted Dapo. He was thankful he hadn’t done anything naïve like signing a release form for the boy. He thought he could trust his gut feeling but apparently it was beginning to fail him. Kogberegbe got out of his car, slammed it shut and rushed back inside the station.

“Prepare the boy” he said to a constable “I need to interrogate him again” Kogberegbe turned to another officer “arrange for a blood sample of him to be taken immediately”

“Yes sir” both policemen said individually

A few minutes later, a stern looking Kogberegbe stood opposite Dapo, arms akimbo.

“Have you found a link?” Dapo asked in a timid voice, afraid to offend the only person that seemed to believe his innocence. He could sense Kogberegbe was no longer the friendly detective that interviewed him earlier.

“Yea, a quite solid one at that” Kogberegbe replied “So tell me again that you don’t have a hand in Ronke’s death”

“i- I swear i- I don’t”

“And you have no motive to have her killed?”

“No sir” Dapo replied with a frown

“It’s probably best at this point for you to ask your parents to arrange a lawyer for you because it’s too convenient that your girlfriend ends up dead barely two months after you knocked her up”

“It can’t be what I think you mean sir”

“It damned well is, so tell me why you killed her? Did she tell you she was pregnant and you didn’t want to be a father yet? You told her to abort and she wouldn’t agree? What?”