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KwaZulu Union Bay City, July 22^nd, 2024

Packed to the brim, the courtroom was needle-dropping silent as the prosecutor returned to his seat. It took the audience a few moments to digest his words. But that was the end of his argument. 

Seeing the judge’s face, part of me was glad that Union Bay used the jury system. “If not the truth, what justice do we serve, if justice at all?” I rose from my seat and approached the jury. “That is the question I asked at the beginning of this trial. Your Honour, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I’m not asking you to speculate, guess, or assume, I am asking you to look at the reality of the case as it has been presented. Throughout the case, the prosecution has failed, time and again, to provide evidence to testify to the allegations against my client. They have not provided sufficient evidence, any witnesses and certainly not the truth. Was my client having an affair with Mr Dzana’s wife? Undeniably.” In the peripheral of my eye, I could see Mr Dzana jump out of his seat and his lawyer hold him back. “However,” I persisted. “Did he assault, and kill her? That’s for you to decide based on the evidence and testimonies that have been presented to you. Ladies and gentlemen, all I have asked is for your ears and your consideration, but now I am asking you to let… justice… prevail.” I returned to my seat. 

The judge dismissed the jury to allow them time to deliberate and come to a verdict. They weren’t gone for long. 

“Have you come to a verdict?” the judge asked.

“We have Your Honour,” a man got to his feet. “On the charge of assault, the jury finds the accused,” he paused. “Not guilty. And on the charge of murder, the jury finds the accused, not guilty.”

“What?” Mr Dzana yelled, jumping out of his seat.

“Thulani, control your client.”

“I apologize Your Honour.” Thulani quickly ushered his client out of the courtroom after the judge delivered his closing remarks and dismissed the court. 

“Thank you so much,” my client turned to me. “I owe you a great deal of gratitude.” 

“I’ll take that gratitude in Rands.”

“Of course, I’m sorry I don’t have the money to pay you right now, but—”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“As soon as my accounts have been cleared by the bank, you’ll be the first to know.”

Smiling, I shook his hand, grabbed my briefcase, excused myself and left the courtroom. On my way to the exit of the courthouse, I noticed Thulani arguing with his client. Or rather, he was being shouted at by his client. “Trouble in paradise?” I stopped in my tracks. “I apologize, that was insensitive given the situation.” Sensing the tension in the air, I continued walking.

“It’s people like you who give justice a bad name,” Mr Dzana yelled.

I stopped again and turned to face him. I took a step closer. Then another.

“Mkhize, careful,” said Thulani.

“It’s okay, Mr Dzana and I understand each other, right.” I took another step, placing myself close enough to whisper, “You can fool everyone else, but we both know that you killed your wife because she took a joy ride in someone else’s car.” I waited for a response, but none came. Instead, I felt the barrel of a gun touch my stomach. My heart leapt to my throat. “You sure you want to do that in here?”

“Watch your back,” he whispered as the gun disappeared.

“Good man,” I smiled. “Thulani,” I held my hand to him. 

“Mkhize,” he shook it.

“As always, it was not a pleasure. Till next time.” 

“Never will be too soon my friend.”

Again, I stepped close to Mr Dzana. “Threatening me, bad idea,” I tapped on his left pocket as I slipped my metallic pen into his right pocket. 

He grabbed his left pocket defensively as he shoved me away. 

“You woke up and chose violence today, didn’t you?”

“Mkhize, I think that’s enough.”

“As you say, sala kakuhle.” I retreated, making my way out of the courthouse. Casting a single glance over my shoulder, I noticed Thulani and his client following at a safe distance as I stepped through the turned-off scanners. “Izobonana ngelizayo Makhanya.”

“Nakanjani Khabazela.” He turned the scanners back on. 

Taking my glasses off, I held them up. They reflected the scene behind me as the scanners blared at Mr Dzana. I could hear him shout complaints at the security personnel as they tried to pull him aside. I closed my eyes, allowing my ears to focus on Dzana’s voice, and then I heard it.

“You have no right to touch me!”

Satisfied and knowing what would follow, I made my way down to the parking lot, finally catching a moment to breathe and let the adrenaline subside as the sun tickled my skin.