Chapter 2: In the Dock

During the trial, I dey reason for my mind: this guy deserve to die well well.

Courtroom cold like say rain dey fall outside, but for my mind, na fire dey burn. As I look Onuche, my belly dey turn. This kain pikin suppose answer for him sin, no two way about am. People for gallery dey whisper, some dey cover face with wrapper. One woman for back mutter, “God abeg, which kain pikin be this?” As judge dey knock table, I dey remember every detail: Onuche for dock, no remorse, just dey look ground like goat wey thief yam.

The defendant name na Onuche, university student. The guy short—just 1.6 meters—but him big, weigh like 100kg, short but spread like okada seat, stubborn pimples scatter like beans for akara.

For real life, if you see this Onuche, you go think say na bricklayer or weight lifter. Short but spread like okada seat, stubborn pimples scatter like beans for akara. Even the way he waka enter court—na slow, heavy step, him shoe dey squeak for ground.

Because of how e look, Onuche no dey happy for school. In him own words: “I dey feel say all the girls dey look down on me.”

You go pity am if you see as he talk this thing—voice low, face tight, like say the world dey against am. For school, e dey hide for corner, dey avoid gist. For Naija, if your body set no dey, girls fit yab you; sometimes dem go just call you "Orugbo" or "Big head." But that one no reach to carry evil for mind.

Him papa and mama get money—both na big people for government. This their status make am get one kind pride.

Dem say money dey hide shame, but for Onuche case, e just add more pride. Him dey drive small car come school, dey wear designer slippers, but inside him heart, e still dey vex. Him dey waka with small clique—dem too dey form big boy, dey flash phone and snap picture for hostel corridor. But all the money no fit buy happiness for him face.

But the girls for university no too send money matter, dem get their own high ideals. This thing dey vex Onuche.

For that campus, girls dey run their level—some dey sell hair, others dey bake, dey hustle. Money no too move dem, especially those wey get sense. If you like, spray money for club, e no mean say you go enter their heart. Na so Onuche dey carry this vex for chest. Every small smile from girl dey pain am like pepper for wound.

To me, if Onuche gree spend money, some girls for gree follow am. But he hate girls wey like money; he talk say na “pure love” he dey find.

My guy! I just dey laugh inside. For this Naija, pure love na for fairy tale. But Onuche carry that wahala for head, say he dey look for real love, no be this new school "runs" girl. Still, e no reach to become animal. Sometimes I wan shake am, tell am say, "Guy, na you dey deceive yourself."

Na so he set eye for female students for school.

He begin dey waka for corridor, dey eye girls up and down like chicken dey find corn. E no care who be who—so far as she fit enter him eye, he go dey try yarn her. I even hear say him dey borrow notes just to start conversation. Na wa!

And the one wey shock me—he only dey target “virgins.”

That one shock me pass. For this generation, person dey find that one? My mind just dey race. Wetin dey worry this guy?

“How you take know say the girls na virgins?”

I no fit hold am, I ask am for court—my face hard, but for inside, I dey boil. Everybody for gallery look up, dey wait for answer.

Onuche reply, like say he dey proud, “I get one skill. If I smell person, I fit know if she be virgin.”

The whole place burst into soft laughter, some people hiss. Even the court clerk bend head, dey hide laugh. For Naija, this kain talk na pure wash. I just look am—see as person dey talk nonsense with bold face. For Naija, person fit believe juju, but this kain talk dey odd. Yet, as he talk am, him eyes shine, like say he believe am die.

Of course, no science back this thing, but true true, all the three girls wey he attack na virgins.

For back of my mind, I dey reason say, abeg, even our grandmama no go swallow this yarn. But police file no lie—the three girls na church girls, dem dey for choir, all the gist confirm am. How he take know? Nobody sabi. Some things for this life get as e be.

I ask am why he dey go for virgins.

Na that time, I press am more—my voice low, make I see if him go change mouth. Wetin really dey push am to this level?

Onuche say, first, to spoil virgins dey satisfy one kind wahala for him mind—he say e dey make am feel clean. Second, he believe virgins dey fear shame, so if he attack them, dem no go report am.

The kain evil wey dey this world! As he talk, I dey see darkness for him eye. He say to spoil virgin dey clean him spirit, e dey make him feel like new born. I just dey look the judge—na only God go judge this boy. Then he add say, girls dey fear disgrace; if you touch them, dem go cover mouth, run go house, no go talk. Devil dey learn work for some people hand.

At first, Onuche no fit rape; he start with “touch touch.”

At the beginning, na only hand him dey use—he no fit cross boundary. Maybe fear, maybe lack of mind. But every journey start with small small steps. Na so evil dey grow.

He dey follow girls wey dey prepare for WAEC and JAMB exams. The exams need plenty cramming, so the girls dey go quiet place—na there Onuche dey do him bad thing.

If you sabi university well, you go know those night reading spot—empty lecture hall, behind science block, even near mango tree. Those old wooden benches wey dey smell like chalk and groundnut oil, lantern light flicker, generator hum for distance. Na there Onuche dey hunt. Girls dey read book, dey sweat for lantern light, Onuche go come dey prowl like bush dog. Nobody dey expect wahala for that kind time.

Only wahala be say, Onuche body big, face no dey hide—even if he cover face, if person see am, dem go sabi am. He no wan go police station.

His body dey betray am—big, bold, stubborn pimples, even if he wear cap, you go still recognize am. E no fit waka pass unnoticed. That one dey fear am pass. Police station dey far, but one small mistake, e go land for cell.

So every time, he dey blindfold the girls. He even buy special hood—na only mouth dey show.

Imagine! Just to cover evil, Onuche buy black hood from market—those ones wey cult boys dey use. Only mouth dey show, eyes and head covered. This kain preparation no be small thing o. Na wickedness get levels.

The first victim na fresh student. Onuche attack her from back, drag am enter bush, begin touch her.

The girl dey new for school, her eye never see plenty bad thing. As Onuche rush am from back, drag her into bush, the girl dey shout but nobody hear. For Naija, bush dey close everywhere for university. Some boys dey use am hide drink, but this one, Onuche dey use for evil.

Since na him first time, Onuche dey shake. He just press her chest and bum small, then run. All no reach one minute.

Him leg dey shake, sweat dey drip for forehead. Even as him dey touch, na fear dey control am. One minute never even pass, he run leave the girl. The girl, shock still dey her face, just sit for ground, dey breathe heavy.

But as Onuche reason am, the girl just swallow the pain, no talk. This one make Onuche feel say nothing fit touch am.

That day, police no hear anything. The girl wipe face, carry book, go hostel. Maybe na shame, maybe fear. But for Onuche mind, he feel say he get power now—nobody go talk, nothing dey happen.

Next day, Onuche molest another girl, this time a junior, not even fifty meters from the first place.

This Onuche get mind. Only next day, he try again, as if the devil don embolden am. This time, the girl na junior student, barely seventeen. The place sef, close to where first one happen. Brazen!

This time, he even use tongue for the girl.

The evil escalate small. He go further, cross line. The girl cry, but Onuche just waka after, face strong. His heart don harden pass before.

But the girl dey break up with her boyfriend that time. She fear say if her boyfriend hear, he go leave her. So she too keep quiet.

For this country, if girl talk say dem touch am, people go ask, “Wetin you wear?” before dem go ask if you dey okay. The girl dey fear heartbreak on top her own pain, she no fit open mouth. Society go judge her, boyfriend go vex, family go ask question. She just swallow am, dey nurse wound.

These two things make Onuche get one kind belief.

Onuche brain start to dey reason say girls weak. As long as you threaten, dem no go talk. Wicked confidence begin grow for am.

“Girls dey fear. As long as you threaten them, these proud girls go let me do anything.”

Him own mouth. He dey boast for court, voice sharp. I just dey look am, wonder how evil dey take breed for person heart. Even some jurors shake head, some dey wipe face, others dey shift for chair. My hand dey shake, but I still dey jot everything down.