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| Credits – Google |
I
happened to be in the temple of justice recently when the drama
ensued. The accused person, an elderly man of about fifty to
sixty-something years, whom, from the proceedings it was established has
fathered many children, was charged with the offence of defiling minors —
mostly girls.
happened to be in the temple of justice recently when the drama
ensued. The accused person, an elderly man of about fifty to
sixty-something years, whom, from the proceedings it was established has
fathered many children, was charged with the offence of defiling minors —
mostly girls.
The
prosecuting counsel having proved his (accused’s) guilt beyond reasonable
doubt, it was time for the judge to give his judgement. The accused’s lawyer
was given the chance to make his closing address. The defence counsel, perhaps
cleverly or maybe inadvertently, decided to give the accused person the whole
ten minutes allotted him to address the court. All was silent such that we even
heard our slow breathing. The accused man, wearing an apparently faked
remorseful look, started off with the most familiar ridiculous of remarks: “Na de satan ooo, na im cus am. Abeg
make una helep me, I no go do am again. Me, I get am for plenty wife and
shildren. I no say…”
prosecuting counsel having proved his (accused’s) guilt beyond reasonable
doubt, it was time for the judge to give his judgement. The accused’s lawyer
was given the chance to make his closing address. The defence counsel, perhaps
cleverly or maybe inadvertently, decided to give the accused person the whole
ten minutes allotted him to address the court. All was silent such that we even
heard our slow breathing. The accused man, wearing an apparently faked
remorseful look, started off with the most familiar ridiculous of remarks: “Na de satan ooo, na im cus am. Abeg
make una helep me, I no go do am again. Me, I get am for plenty wife and
shildren. I no say…”
I
instantly noticed a matronly woman, obviously her heart the most gnawed and
stricken and her head reeling from the horrors the accused had created,
silently stand up and make for the exit as if she was trying to go ease
herself.
instantly noticed a matronly woman, obviously her heart the most gnawed and
stricken and her head reeling from the horrors the accused had created,
silently stand up and make for the exit as if she was trying to go ease
herself.
She
however retraced her steps and stealthily stole behind the accused person,
still unnoticed by anyone except me, and from there stretched out her right
hand, land three numbing/jolting thunder-strikes on the accused’s face in quick
succession. Thwack!
Thwack! Thwack! A feeling of disagreement echoed through the accused man,
harder than a scream, but as definite as thunder. The sound of the slaps
ricocheted off the whole courtroom like the bark of angry thunder in dry
season. The accused man stopped mid-sentence, his unspoken words hanging
dangerously in the hallowed courtroom ceiling; surprise and fear trickling over
his skin like high-voltaged electricity. Thankfully, for him, a policeman, half
asleep or half roused was nearby. The policeman instinctively jumped at the
woman to prevent more thunders from barking inside the courtroom.
however retraced her steps and stealthily stole behind the accused person,
still unnoticed by anyone except me, and from there stretched out her right
hand, land three numbing/jolting thunder-strikes on the accused’s face in quick
succession. Thwack!
Thwack! Thwack! A feeling of disagreement echoed through the accused man,
harder than a scream, but as definite as thunder. The sound of the slaps
ricocheted off the whole courtroom like the bark of angry thunder in dry
season. The accused man stopped mid-sentence, his unspoken words hanging
dangerously in the hallowed courtroom ceiling; surprise and fear trickling over
his skin like high-voltaged electricity. Thankfully, for him, a policeman, half
asleep or half roused was nearby. The policeman instinctively jumped at the
woman to prevent more thunders from barking inside the courtroom.
When
later the accused was being led out of the courtroom into a waiting Black
Maria, the same woman walked up to him again. But this time, the prison wardens
and policemen leading the accused were alert and on their guard. She shot him a
long scornful and enraged glance, muster enough inner strength and muttered in
a high-pitched scream, loud enough for everybody to hear amidst the whole
frenzied talk: “I hope the
devil enters somebody else one day and he does the same to your own
daughters,
too!” She hurriedly stomped out of the courtroom, seething with unsatisfied
anger.
later the accused was being led out of the courtroom into a waiting Black
Maria, the same woman walked up to him again. But this time, the prison wardens
and policemen leading the accused were alert and on their guard. She shot him a
long scornful and enraged glance, muster enough inner strength and muttered in
a high-pitched scream, loud enough for everybody to hear amidst the whole
frenzied talk: “I hope the
devil enters somebody else one day and he does the same to your own
daughters,
too!” She hurriedly stomped out of the courtroom, seething with unsatisfied
anger.
I
filed the incident away in the innermost recess of my memory, to be recalled
when the need arose. That need perhaps would never had arisen had it not been
for the current spate of disturbing news making waves round the whole country
of children being defiled and desecrated. I have always tried to imagine the
huge volume of explaining humans will have to give the devil when the time
eventually comes. One sure thing, the devil won’t take it lightly with the
majority of the explanations, and I might add that he would be astounded and
petrified at the same time. The devil takes the blame for the theft, rape,
affray and so many other unmentionable acts. So much for the devil bearing the
brunt of our every actions, the products of our own free will. Sometimes, I
wonder how the devil must really have been feeling from all the name-calling
and finger-pointing. The worst of it is that very irritating report in which
the suspect will speedily heap the blame on the devil. As in where a depraved
and demented (of course, you are free to add idiotic, stupid, moronic and
imbecilic) sixty-year old pedophile would hurriedly blame the devil after being
caught. And the case of the petty thief coming on the pages of newspapers and
TV screens to declare that indeed it was the devil who magically appeared
behind him to push him into stealing.
filed the incident away in the innermost recess of my memory, to be recalled
when the need arose. That need perhaps would never had arisen had it not been
for the current spate of disturbing news making waves round the whole country
of children being defiled and desecrated. I have always tried to imagine the
huge volume of explaining humans will have to give the devil when the time
eventually comes. One sure thing, the devil won’t take it lightly with the
majority of the explanations, and I might add that he would be astounded and
petrified at the same time. The devil takes the blame for the theft, rape,
affray and so many other unmentionable acts. So much for the devil bearing the
brunt of our every actions, the products of our own free will. Sometimes, I
wonder how the devil must really have been feeling from all the name-calling
and finger-pointing. The worst of it is that very irritating report in which
the suspect will speedily heap the blame on the devil. As in where a depraved
and demented (of course, you are free to add idiotic, stupid, moronic and
imbecilic) sixty-year old pedophile would hurriedly blame the devil after being
caught. And the case of the petty thief coming on the pages of newspapers and
TV screens to declare that indeed it was the devil who magically appeared
behind him to push him into stealing.
I
would be risking everything on my hunch to claim that indeed the devil does
enter humans to commit such grievous crimes as murder or rape, but I think the
claim is worth it. For in the case of the madman, who’s mind and reason is
absent, who butchers somebody else, he didn’t do it of his own accord,
technically speaking. It was an agent inside him that did it, technically
speaking.
would be risking everything on my hunch to claim that indeed the devil does
enter humans to commit such grievous crimes as murder or rape, but I think the
claim is worth it. For in the case of the madman, who’s mind and reason is
absent, who butchers somebody else, he didn’t do it of his own accord,
technically speaking. It was an agent inside him that did it, technically
speaking.
 |
| credits – google |
However,
it is man’s custom to always want to rationalize his heinousness by complaining
that the devil took firm grip of him which led him into committing one grievous
crime after the other. In our sophistication – or rather, affability? – we
virtually shrug aside the immoral individual such that we invariably encourage
his degeneration into darker thoughts and evil machinations. To ‘remedy’ this, it became
the habit of man to engage in one crime after the other; an infallible sign of
galloping crime-philia or evil-mania. Such cases degenerate rapidly and are
usually incurable. The only way out being to self-destruct, after the criminal
had regrettably done away with many unsuspecting victims.
it is man’s custom to always want to rationalize his heinousness by complaining
that the devil took firm grip of him which led him into committing one grievous
crime after the other. In our sophistication – or rather, affability? – we
virtually shrug aside the immoral individual such that we invariably encourage
his degeneration into darker thoughts and evil machinations. To ‘remedy’ this, it became
the habit of man to engage in one crime after the other; an infallible sign of
galloping crime-philia or evil-mania. Such cases degenerate rapidly and are
usually incurable. The only way out being to self-destruct, after the criminal
had regrettably done away with many unsuspecting victims.
And
so far for the most heinous crimes as rape and murder, is the invincible hand
of the devil involved? I think not. That is if we can see the devil to ask him,
but since we can not, let me continue. The devil is wise and tricky to know
that he would only have to dangle before men that thing which they cherish most
and they will tumble head over heels into his devastating firm grasp. With his
hand firmly on the bait, the devil would start a sinister and deadly
demonstration, and a slight nip of the bait will ignite a fire like a pile of dry
kindling; a fire so devastating and ragingly difficult to put out. Take for
instance, the serial rapist who is in the custom of pushing the blame on the
devil, or the dogged armed robber, or even the cold-sick murderer, is it not as
a result of the devil presenting before their paths those thing which make the
commission of their crimes easy that they enjoy committing the crimes and
subsequently push the blame on the devil? The devil played upon their feelings
as carefully and skillfully as a first-class artiste plays upon his instrument,
dangling nudity and sexual perversion alluringly before the rapist and hapless
victims regrettably before the murderer. And when eventually their cups get
filled, the blame automatically shifts to the devil even though they had chosen
to fall into his trap with their eyes wide open.
so far for the most heinous crimes as rape and murder, is the invincible hand
of the devil involved? I think not. That is if we can see the devil to ask him,
but since we can not, let me continue. The devil is wise and tricky to know
that he would only have to dangle before men that thing which they cherish most
and they will tumble head over heels into his devastating firm grasp. With his
hand firmly on the bait, the devil would start a sinister and deadly
demonstration, and a slight nip of the bait will ignite a fire like a pile of dry
kindling; a fire so devastating and ragingly difficult to put out. Take for
instance, the serial rapist who is in the custom of pushing the blame on the
devil, or the dogged armed robber, or even the cold-sick murderer, is it not as
a result of the devil presenting before their paths those thing which make the
commission of their crimes easy that they enjoy committing the crimes and
subsequently push the blame on the devil? The devil played upon their feelings
as carefully and skillfully as a first-class artiste plays upon his instrument,
dangling nudity and sexual perversion alluringly before the rapist and hapless
victims regrettably before the murderer. And when eventually their cups get
filled, the blame automatically shifts to the devil even though they had chosen
to fall into his trap with their eyes wide open.
When
in the upheavals of a distorted life which some want to flee from but which
some others want to engage in happens, those who had accepted to embrace such
demented lives will slip into things much worse than the devil himself, and in
the process, the resultant effects they will display would be the products of
some poisoned and warped thoughts. So when next one might one to blame the
devil for crimes committed personally, one should take deep breaths, thoroughly
examine one’s life and be certain he/she hasn’t provided the devil that
enabling environment to perfect his purpose. The devil does not require so much
as a whole man to engineer his devious purpose; the most minute opening in man’s
heart is enough for him.
in the upheavals of a distorted life which some want to flee from but which
some others want to engage in happens, those who had accepted to embrace such
demented lives will slip into things much worse than the devil himself, and in
the process, the resultant effects they will display would be the products of
some poisoned and warped thoughts. So when next one might one to blame the
devil for crimes committed personally, one should take deep breaths, thoroughly
examine one’s life and be certain he/she hasn’t provided the devil that
enabling environment to perfect his purpose. The devil does not require so much
as a whole man to engineer his devious purpose; the most minute opening in man’s
heart is enough for him.
But
then, let me suggest a little way in which I think we can bypass the it-was-the-devil blame
syndrome. Once that particular devious yearning obsessively rears it ugly head,
just blank your thoughts away from it and pretend it never crossed your
thinking horizon. To illustrate, a teeter-totter victim in government service
resolved his problem in the original manner. When he got a case that he could
not fully decide, he would simply remove the file from the office at night and
throw it away. To demonstrate further, ruminate on this: my good friend, Nkem,
the reverend father, told me sometime ago that whenever he sees nudity being
shamelessly flaunted before him, he metaphorically gorge out his eyes, throw
them into the fire and continue his business blindly.
then, let me suggest a little way in which I think we can bypass the it-was-the-devil blame
syndrome. Once that particular devious yearning obsessively rears it ugly head,
just blank your thoughts away from it and pretend it never crossed your
thinking horizon. To illustrate, a teeter-totter victim in government service
resolved his problem in the original manner. When he got a case that he could
not fully decide, he would simply remove the file from the office at night and
throw it away. To demonstrate further, ruminate on this: my good friend, Nkem,
the reverend father, told me sometime ago that whenever he sees nudity being
shamelessly flaunted before him, he metaphorically gorge out his eyes, throw
them into the fire and continue his business blindly.
In
conclusion, then, let me state my position without qualification or
equivocation. I stand solidly behind the school that man is responsible for his
every deed. As for the kleptomaniac, seeing somebody else’s unprotected
property doesn’t call for it to be stolen. The man going about defiling little
girls should be made to understand that he must bear the consequence of his
deeds. That is why the criminal justice system is there. The judge will without
bating an eyelid send him to the dungeons known as Nigerian prisons – that is,
if the gallows or the execution chambers do not favor his undeniable presence,
first – where after cooling his sorry behind for years on end, he’ld definitely
think twice before mentioning the devil’s name. Coupled with he fact that he’ld
be so messed up and worthless that even the devil won’t fancy his shambolic
life as a good host anymore. Thank God in our jurisprudence, one would have a
hell of a time trying to convince a judge that it was the devil’s deed, not
his.
conclusion, then, let me state my position without qualification or
equivocation. I stand solidly behind the school that man is responsible for his
every deed. As for the kleptomaniac, seeing somebody else’s unprotected
property doesn’t call for it to be stolen. The man going about defiling little
girls should be made to understand that he must bear the consequence of his
deeds. That is why the criminal justice system is there. The judge will without
bating an eyelid send him to the dungeons known as Nigerian prisons – that is,
if the gallows or the execution chambers do not favor his undeniable presence,
first – where after cooling his sorry behind for years on end, he’ld definitely
think twice before mentioning the devil’s name. Coupled with he fact that he’ld
be so messed up and worthless that even the devil won’t fancy his shambolic
life as a good host anymore. Thank God in our jurisprudence, one would have a
hell of a time trying to convince a judge that it was the devil’s deed, not
his.
It’s
time people start facing reality. Crimes are naturally the result of the whims
and caprice of a free-thinking, free-acting individual. Crimes are not made
possible by the mysteries of supernatural forces. Every man is responsible for
his own deeds, and his actions should teach him a lesson, at least. I find it
extremely unbelievable that in this modern age, an individual would still
mention the devil when he is caught in a crime.
time people start facing reality. Crimes are naturally the result of the whims
and caprice of a free-thinking, free-acting individual. Crimes are not made
possible by the mysteries of supernatural forces. Every man is responsible for
his own deeds, and his actions should teach him a lesson, at least. I find it
extremely unbelievable that in this modern age, an individual would still
mention the devil when he is caught in a crime.
Sounds
pretty insane to me. So for that elderly man in the courtroom who said ‘na de satan na im cus am,’
no satan caused anything, but, rather, your licentious libido did. Your
uncontrollable urge for sex did it. With this, whenever you see the devil, be
sure to prove to him that he indeed took hold of you and cleverly manipulated
the crime for which you were charged and how he managed to outfox law
enforcement the whole time until your cup got filled.
pretty insane to me. So for that elderly man in the courtroom who said ‘na de satan na im cus am,’
no satan caused anything, but, rather, your licentious libido did. Your
uncontrollable urge for sex did it. With this, whenever you see the devil, be
sure to prove to him that he indeed took hold of you and cleverly manipulated
the crime for which you were charged and how he managed to outfox law
enforcement the whole time until your cup got filled.
A
word to the sufficient is wise.
word to the sufficient is wise.
from: www.legalwatchmen.wordpress.com via https://legalwatchmen.wordpress.com/2015/08/17/on-crimes-and-punishment/