Opana the coffin maker episode 12
Opana – Episode 12
© Akoto Alexander
Cell Leader: Madam please stop what you are doing because we the ones in,side this place can cry even more than you are doing. The important thing here is for you to get your ward food and also tackle the problem which got him here. If crying brings people out from police cell like some of us will be walking about freely months ago but as it stands, our freedom has been taken away from us by our fellow man.
Bernice Ansah: Mummy what he is saying is very true, let’s try and get in touch with commander and see how we can resolve this issue amicably. Please officer is the commander in his office?
Officer: Am sorry the commander is out for an offical duty and he will be back very soon so you can wait if you don’t mind. Just take a seat in front of the charge office.
Akua Yankey: We don’t mind at all so we will wait for him to arrive, Kwaku Mike you see what your stupid temper has caused you now? Bernice take this money and go out there and find something to buy for your brother.
Bernice Ansah: Okay mummy but please in my absence try and see if you can get in touch with papa to see if he can do anything to resolve this issue.
Akua Yankey: I will do that, hurry up and get the food and water for your brother I believe he is starving and he might be distressed by now.
Bernice Ansah leaves the police station to get her brother some things and shortly the commander walks in.
Commander: Sergeant Amo did anyone come looking for me?
Officer: Not really sir it is only the guy who molested your niece mother and sister who came to see you.
Commander: Don’t mind them, I don’t have their time yet. That stupid guy has to suffer a bit before I and any of his family member3 come to a compromise.
Akua Yankey realising the commander was the man who walked pass her a while ago tries to approach him but the commander ignored her and walked into his office without listening to what she had to say. She walked to her seat very confused and in no time Bernice Ansah returns with the food and water she went to buy for her brother, seeing that her mother’s mood had changed she tried to find out what the problem was and before her mother could utter a word her phone rang and looking at the screen it was an unknown number so she answered the call.
On Phone:
Caller: Hello
Akua Yankey: Hello good day, please may I know who is on the line.
Caller: Akua is everything alright with you because your voice is not sounding pleasing to me at all?
Akua Yankey: Please may I know who is on the line because I don’t know this number.
Caller: Ah so can’t you recognise my voice any longer, well is me your husband.
Akua Yankey: Thank God you called but what happened to your phone because I have been calling and it’s not connecting?
Caller: Oh that is true, my phone fell in a gutter so am now requesting a phone repairer to cut my sim card into a smaller size so I can put it in the phone I seized from Bernice but what is wrong with you because your voice is not sounding right?
Akua Yankey: Hmmm there is serious trouble ooo!!! The unexpected has happened my love, they have come for him and are not willing to listen to anyone as at now.
Caller: My dear take your time and explain things to me in plain language. Who has come for who and is not willing to listen to anyone?
Akua Yankey: Agnes went to report the incident that took place earlier on this morning to the police and they came for him as if he was a wanted notorious criminal. I came to the police station to sign for his bail but no one is willing to talk to me even.
Caller: I told you point blank before leaving the house that I won’t involve myself in any legal action that young lady takes because your son acted foolishly and the law has caught up with him. He should have known that the laws of this country protects women and that it is absurd for a man to lay his fingers on a woman. Have you gone to see the commander of the police station?
Akua Yankey: I know very well Kofi but please help him out, you can’t turn your back on your only son and I also believe he has learnt his lesson in a very hærd way. For the commander I tried talking to him but he ignored me and my little information I have gathered means that, Agnes is related to him. I mean to say that Agnes is the niece of the commander so the man is really serious and has taken the matter personal.
Caller: Oh really? Then your son is in a deep mess, where is Agnes at the moment and what about the commander also?
Akua Yankey: I believe Agnes has left to the hospital but for the commander he is in his office. Please do something for my son to come out because my heart is beating fast and if anything bad happens to my son I will kill myself. I want you to do something now and I mean now!!!!
Caller: Woman shut up, you talk too much sometimes. Did I ask him to go and beat the lady mercilessly in her room? Hmmmm I will call you back (call drops).
in,side Cell:
Michael Ansah: So my guy what brought you here and how long have you been here?
Cell Leader: My brother I have been here for almost 9months but intially I was taken to Nsawam Prison where I spent 4years without trial before my lawyer tried his best for me to be brought here. My offense was that I was at the right place at the wrong time, I went to visit my girlfriend who I was planning to marry to apologise to her on some misunderstandings we had the previous day and out of anger I told her she will see the bad side of me. I entered her room to see her lying down almost lifeless with a knife stabbed in her stomach, I rushed to get the knife out from her stomach and that was when her roommate walked in, she scre-med to alert her other hostel mates to come and see the crime I had committed, I tried to defend myself but none of them had the ear to listen to me. They called the police in and that is how I ended up here without even a proper trial, I was only sent to court once and I was remanded to police custody but the detective handling my case decided to send me to the Nsawam Prison because I failed to give him the money he wanted from me. I have virtually lost everything and my hope now is lost because I don’t know my fate any longer but am ready to embrace anything that comes because my girlfriend was the only important thing to me on this earth as I lost my parents and siblings in a fatal accident.
Michael Ansah: Wooow your story is very pathetic but what are the police officers doing about it?
Cell Leader: Hahaha as if they care about me, see now in our country Ghana no one thinks about anyone again ooo, if you dont have money you never get the justice we have on our coat of arms, for the freedoom you are given about 40% of it but if you make a mistake and its taken away from you that is when you will realise that justice is sold at a very high price. I don’t have any family member alive who will stand to fight for me so am just looking up to the Lord as I know that the battle is the Lord’s.
Michael Ansah: Hmmmmm what a country that we live in, no one cares about his fellow being and selfishness is now the order of the day. I hope and pray that a divine intervention comes your way, as you have probably learnt a lot from this case.
Cell Leader: My brother does someone has to tell me or blow me? I have learnt my lessons in a very hærd way that when am angry I should learn how to control my tongue and temper because the bible say the fool is considered wise when he learns how to hold his tongue.
Michael Ansah: Bro I have also learnt my own side of the lesson in a very unique way and I hope I come out clean from this mess very soon without been processed to court because my dad who can play around the clock to get me out from here emphasised categorically that he won’t involve himself in this matter should the lady decide to make any legal move.
Cell Leader: Really? Can he be that callous and irresponsible like that? Ain’t you his only son?
Michael Ansah: Yes am his only son but my dad has got an unresolved issue with me which has turned us in arc rivals all because I diverted my course I read in the university without informing him of that and he only got to know after I completed school.
Cell Leader: Ah so what is coming from your mouth does it sound pleasing to your ears? You guffed big time and if I were him(your father) I will even throw you out of my house if you are still living under my roof. I am trying to imagine how his face was going to look as he got this bad news from you, my brother you put yourself in your dad’s shoes and imagine how you were going to feel if it was you. You didn’t try at all but let’s all pray for a divine intervention on your behalf because if not then you will pay a courtesy visa free trip to “country no vex” very soon.
Michael Ansah: Where on the continent is that country because I haven’t heard of the name before?
Cell Leader: Hahahaha that country is in Africa, I mean to say in West Africa and precisely Ghana and the exact location is in the eastern region in a small town called Nsawam and an estate called Nsawam Medium Prison.
Michael Ansah: God forbid my guy!!! I won’t ever in my life visit that place filled with hoodlums, rapists, armed robbers, fraudsters, hærden criminals and social miscreants.
Cell Leader: Mike let me enlighten you on this, is not all the people who are there are criminals as most of us think. Some are there because the were at the wrong place at the wrong time and couldn’t defend themselves properly. Even some were wrongly accused because they chose to toll the right part of their lives. For instance lets use my issue as a case study.
At the Commander’s Office:
Commander: (talking to himself) Nonsense you think you can molest my niece and go about freely? I will make ruin and mess up your miserable life for you.
(telephone rings)
Caller: Hello commander, how are you doing?
Commander: Am fine, may I please know who is on the line because am very busy this afernoon and I have a lot of things to attend to.
Caller: Does it mean you don’t recognise my voice any longer and why are you been hostile this afternoon like that?
Commander: My friend I told you am very busy so introduce yourself and state your purpose of calling because this is an office line and you don’t expect me to recognise all the voices that I come across daily.
Caller: Am shocked you claim you don’t recognise this voice after all this while. So it’s true that you have gotten a new lady so you have forgotten all about me if not like you wouldn’t be acting this way towards me.
Commander: Rubbish!!! If you don’t have anything reasonable to say to me then clear off this line because I have important matters to attend to. Mtcheeeeeeew (drops the telephone)
Commander: Nonsense, you call someone and you go about saying foolish things to the person without even introducing yourself properly to the person. This is how you go about putting people into serious troubles. (telephone rings again)
____
Commander: (answers the call in a harsh tone) Whoever you are am not ready for you stupid games and if you don’t take care I will track you down and deal mercilessly with you for this foolish games you are playing with me this afternoon. Are you mad?
Caller: Hey easy!!! Is that how you relate to people who call you without finding out who is on the other side of the phone? Calm down!!!
Commander: (hearing the voice and realising it’s a male voice) Oh am sorry for my harsh words, someone has been playing pranks with me this afternoon on the telephone and I taught she was the same person calling. Please accept my apology and identity yourself to me since I have a lot on my desk to work on this afternoon.
Caller: Am surprise you can’t make my voice out but all the same this is your brother from another mother, Opana “the rough boy”.
Commander: Oh my brother sorry about that but as am talking to you now am very hot this afternoon so am not thinking straight.
Caller: Is that so my brother?
Commander: Yes ooo the regional commander is on my neck to get a particular report on his desk before the end of the day and a stupid boy also assaulted my niece badly so it has gotten my mind very hot and I promise to deal with that boy ruthlessly.
Caller: Well I called you because of ……..
Commander: (cuts in rudely) My brother I hope you are not coming to demand for money from me this afternoon because the truth is that, the last money left in my accounts was what I gave out to you the other day.
Caller: Hmmmm my call is on a different agenda this afternoon so keep calm and listen to me. Am calling on behalf of that stupid boy you just referred to some seconds ago.
Commander: Please my brother stay out of this and don’t involve yourself in this matter because that boy needs to be taught a big lesson. I want him to go through pains and misery for what he stupidly did to me niece.
Caller: My brother, I wish I could stay out of this matter but I can’t. That foolish boy happens to be my only son and I can’t sit and watch him go through the plans you have in mind for him, I didn’t know Agnes was your niece and am…..
Commander: Hold it there my brother, so even if I wasn’t related to that girl did your stupid son had to assault her that bad? Do you know how bad he has deformed my little girl? We shouldn’t be even having this discussion in the first place because the more I talk about it, the more evil intentions finds it way to my mind.
Caller: So in other words what at you trying to insinuate? No am not getting you over here right now, the truth is that my son foolishly out of his youthful exuberance and joblessness took a stupid step which am not proud of, that is why am calling you to kindly rescue him because at least when you wronged my family and I, my son was the only person pleading on your behalf for me not to make that issue a top class issue. You owe me a lot of favours so I won’t plead with you to reconsider your decision but a word should be enough for the wise.
Commander: Are you threatening me?
Opana: My brother is neither a threat nor request, I will call it a free advice and don’t forget we have an outstanding deal that I can choose to either play by the rules or I do what I want. Mind you the media houses always want a mouth watering headline to publish on their front page of their graphics.
Commander: You know this is a blackmail and it is not fair. If releasing your son will let sleeping dogs lie and forster unity between us, I will grant your wish and release your son right away. Hope you are okay with that?
Caller: (laughing) I knew I could count on you my brother, ah you scratch my back I scratch your back then we are all happy. I will pass by one of this days so we sit and break bottles for this wonderful union. Let me leave you to continue with your busy day activities but kindly release my son now because his mother and your s€× partner daughter of mine are waiting for him outside the charge office. Have a blissful day (ends call)
Commander: (very furious) this nonsense must stop, am I the only big man in town who slept with an underage girl? This man is using his head and mind against me, this case could have also enriched my pocket but look at me now, I didn’t even get a cedi out of it. A stitch in time saves nine and I know what to do to get myself out of this mess.
The commander calls the officer in charge of the case to immediately release the suspect they have in their custody.
Commander: Sergeant Kwaku Duah release that foolish boy who assaulted my niece right this moment from our custody and I mean right now.
Sergeant Kwaku Duah: But sir we even haven’t taken his statement yet and I plan to deal with him drastically for what he……
Commander: I didn’t ask for your views or opinion, I gave an order and I expect it to take effect right this moment so make that move now before I come out from my office.
Sergeant Kwaku Duah: But sir why this sudden change of plans because you are the same person who instructed me to go hærd on that boy without fear or favour.
Commander: I hate people who challenge my orders, I gave you an order to detain him unlawfully and now am ordering you to release him now before hell break lose and you are there asking me unnecessary questions. If you love your job then silently do as I say because a call just came from above which can cause a big problem to us.
Sergeant Kwaku Duah: If you say so I will release him immediately.
Commander: You better do that before I walk out from my office. I don’t want any trouble in my last days in this office.
Sergeant Kwaku Duah moves to the charge office and opens the cell for Michael Ansah to walk out freely.
Sergeant Kwaku Duah: You are a very lucky guy, my boss for no reason has ordered for your immediate release which I don’t understand but am only following orders from him. My eyes are fixed tightly on you and if you dare touch any lady again in or around this town, I will personally throw you into jail. Leave this place before I slap your f****** face.
Michael Ansah walks out of the charge office to meet his mum and sister sitting and hoping for an intervention to take place for his release to take effect.
Akua Yankey: (wipes her face) Kwaku Mike is that you? How did you get out from their cell?
Michael Ansah: Mummy I just don’t know how it happened, I was just in,side the cell and the officer handling the case came to open the door for me and ordered me to leave the charge office before he beats the living hell out of me. I just don’t know how it happened but I will call it a miracle.
Akua Yankey: Indeed the mercies of the Lord endureth forever. Father God I don’t know how I will thank you enough, you keep blessing my family with mindblowing things which makes me so speechless most of the time. I and my household remains…….. (phone rings)
Caller: Akua have they released our son?
Akua Yankey: Yes they just released him all of a sudden and we were wondering who was behind this fast liberation for my son.
Caller: Well am the one who made that possible so you guys should move to the house as am coming over right away and woman talk to your son like a mother does to her children because this will be the first and last time I will stand in for him in a police related matter. Children of his age are making their parents proud and not rather compounding their problems for them. See you guys later in the house, I have decided to journey back home now.
Akua Yankey: Okay my dear thanks for not turning your back on us even though you are a man of your words.
Bernice Ansah: Mummy what is going on? Was that papa trying to find out what was going on?
Akua Yankey: Yes it was him my dear, he called to find out if truly your brother had been released because he pulled some strings and your brother was released just like that. Let’s hurry up home since the sky isn’t looking friendly and for you Kwaku Mike take a hærd lesson from what happened today.
Michael Ansah: Mummy I need not to be told, I have learnt my lessons due to what I encountered in,side there. I won’t even wish what I encountered there to even my enemy and from hence forth if someone threatens to engage me in a police related matter I will run for cover.
Akua Yankey: Its all in your hands my son, now what do we even do to the food and drink your sister went to buy for you?
How to grow your business while you stay at home
Michael Ansah: Oh give me that so I hand it over to my primary school mate I met in,side there. His story is the worse story I have ever heard and he has really suffered in this world at his tender age.
Michael Ansah gave the food and drink to his friend and later rushed home with his family members and in know time the rain descends heavily so that the Christmas harmattan could show it’s existence. The rain came down for hours without even reducing its pressure and eventually the wind was blowing violently whiles the thunder strike was massive and ramp-nt. Later the lights went off and in a short time Opana knocked on the door and when the door was opened and he got into the room the lights came back but his family members scre-med out of shock with what their eyes saw……..
What did the family members of Opana see that made them scared?
To be continued