https://pixabay.com/photos/gavel-usa-flag-justice-judge-7516050/
The courtroom was full to the brim. Judge Ignacio entered the courtroom like a Prince who'd just been made King. The case he was going to preside over had been the talk of the town for weeks. The televisions flashed the gory images of the murder involving Hugo, the president's brother. The newspapers carried it too. It had been a robbery gone wrong and an entire family had been terminated. People who heard swore vengeance on the killer. Once or twice an attempt had been made on Hugo's life during the court trials. At one time, a sniper had aimed for his chest but picked off one of the policemen who were guarding Hugo at that time.
“Can you do anything to make this go away?”
The President's husky voice bellowed into the telephone. Attorney General Diego Garcia coughed a little before replying.
“No your Excellency. There's no hope here. The lad will have to go the way of the hangman's noose.”
A pause. Then the president said,
“You know how much is at stake here. Not only the reputation and career I've built for over 10 years now but the lad in question is my only surviving relative. If something were to be done, I will pay any price for it.”
The attorney paused then said,
“Well, sir I will try to approach one of the jugdes and see if he can give the young lad life and maybe he can be paroled in a few years..."
The president breathed a sigh of relief.
“It feels good to know I can count on you old friend.”
“Anything for you sir.”
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Judge Ignacio had been deathly frank with the attorney general who had visited him in his huge mansion on Terrace street that cold evening. He turned off the air conditioner as the attorney general said he had a cold. He had poured him a good glass of wine and exchanged pleasantries warm-heartedly. But all the warmth vanished at a certain point in the conversation.
“No sir, I can't do that. It goes against everything I believe.”
The attorney general seemed unmoved in his request.
“I'm just asking you to consider the lad. Not because he comes from privilege but because…” he trailed off, took sip from the glass and continued. “Because…ahem! The president would be pleased and because it's a compassionate thing to do.”
“You do not understand me sir.”
Judge Ignacio still had a lot of respect for the attorney general. He remembered their days as law students. The attorney general had been the bright one of their set and had graduated top of the class. His prowess in legal matters were already being publicised in the press before he began practicing.
The attorney general got up after 20 minutes of futile discussion. He would have to consider the other alternative.
Judge Ignacio recalled all these as he sat at his seat that evening. After the opening proceedings and everything following, the time for the judgment to be read finally came.
He paused awhile and adjusted his gold-rimmed spectacles looking the courtroom over from above it. He made a few comments on the situation before him, saying how disappointed he was at how much the society had been corrupted. He then followed up by saying:
https://pixabay.com/photos/hangman-noose-execution-knot-rope-2347543/
"….I sentence Hugo Hernandez to die by hanging…”
throwing the courtroom into chaos. He banged his gravel, unmoved.
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That evening the president sat in his spacious and comfortable living room and considered his options. Occasionally he rose from the sofa and paced the marbled floors of his home and took sips from the glass on the table. He knew he had to do something to save his brother from the hangman's noose. Hugo was not just his only brother but his only surviving close relative. Their parents, Michelle and Antonio had perished in an unfortunate road accident. The two brothers were left alone to fend for themselves. Slowly they had built a life for themselves after the death of their parents. Hugo stayed out of school, took several jobs just to make sure his brother got a quality education. It was during this time that Hugo got mixed up with criminal gangs. President Tomàs had read Law and later joined the political circles.
What would he do to get Hugo out now? He thought long and hard and went to sleep without any result. The answer came to him the next morning as he awoke from sleep and raised his heavy head was from the silken pillow.
After a hot cup of tea and some biscuits he sat at his chair and made a call.
“Good morning general.”
“Good morning your Excellency.”
“I was wondering if we could meet. There are pressing matters I would like to discuss.”
“I'm at you service sir. When and where?”
“Here at the guest house. Wednesday afternoon.”
“Ok. Your Excellency.”
A week after the president and General Liuz had met, President Tomàs's government was violently overthrown and the army took over. General Luiz declared himself acting head of state and instituted martial law. Weeks later he initiated a series of surprising pardons for criminals who'd been given the death sentence. The former president's brother, Hugo, was one.
The Former President Tomàs and his brother, Hugo met one afternoon in a government residential house in Ethiopia. They hugged each other in tears.
https://pixabay.com/photos/hall-apartment-interior-design-621741/
“To think of how close I came to losing you. It breaks my heart each time I recall.”
“Well it's over now. I'm free. But we will have to start anew. The only sad thing is that you're no longer president."
Former President Tomàs was silent awhile. He brought out his blue silk kerchief and cough lightly into it, then raised his face to his brother.
“I did it for you brother. I was the one who prompted the coup.”
Hugo was shocked.
“How?”
Tomàs cleared his throat.
“I knew there was no way I could exploit the law to free you. And I couldn't risk a presidential pardon it would have broken the country in two and brought in the United Nations. So I asked General Liuz to stage a coup detat.”
"But do you have any plans of retaking the presidential office?"
"No"
Hugo was shocked beyond words. His brother continued.
“I gave up my my political career to save you. I still remember the sacrifices you made for me after our parents died. Staying hungry just to make sure I ate. Standing up to bullies for me. I had to do it. Now we can start rebuilding our lives just like after we lost mom and dad. A lot of people want you dead. So I've decided we move to a new country with new identities and start afresh…”
Hugo was silent while his brother spoke. His gaze was focused on the floor while the tears crawled from both his eyes…
Sending you an Ecency curation vote!
Thanks a lot. My appreciation.
It is my pleasure
!INDEED
Thanks, @theinkwell, I'm honored.
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