THE WRONG MAN HANGED

Da wani irin sauri Afif ya ƙaraso gida, sai dai ya makara domin sun riga sun tafi da sh,i a guje ya fada cikin gidansu da zuciya a mugun tashe.

“Mami, Addah, Mami…” ya kira su cikin firgici. A kidime duk suka fito, domin Afif bai saba haka ba. Yaro ne mai nutsuwa sosai, don haka wannan abu ne da ba'a saba gani daga gare shi ba.

“Lafiya biyayye?” Nuri ta tambaya tana riƙe hannunsa da ke trembling. Ya girgiza kai yana nuna musu ƙofar gida yana haki yace "wasu… wasu… wasu ne suka ɗauki Abba a mota… sun tafi da shi.”

Wannan baƙin labari ne! *This was the start of their fate.* Ƙaddarar da basu zaɓawa kansu ba, it was decreed already.

Jiri Mami ta ji yana dibanta, hakan yasa ta dafa bango. kiranta suka yi da sauri “Mami, Mami” amma muryoyinsu akwai rauni.

“Innā lillāhi wa innā ilaihi rāji‘ūn,” ta riqa maimaitawa kafin ta ƙarfafa kanta, ta miƙe tsaye, ta nufi hanyar fita. Bata cire hijabinta na sallar Maghrib ba, don haka ta fita suka bita a baya.

A ƙofar gidan suka tsaya. Layinsu shiru ne, domin sabuwar unguwa ce, basu daɗe da zuwa nan ba. Yawanci amare ne ke tarewa a unguwar, sai kaɗan masu iyali.

“Ta ina zan fara ni Bintu?” Mami ta fada tana ƙarfafa kanta. Dole ne ta ƙarfafa kanta saboda yaranta. Saboda haka ta ce Nuri ta koma, ita da Afif za su kai rahoto wa 'ya sanda.

Nuri da take jin kamar numfashinta yana sarƙewa ta girgiza kai tana cewa, “A’a Mami, zan bi ku.”

Bata musa musu ba. Har zasu fara tafiya sai Mami ta tuna babu kuɗi a wajensu, don haka ta koma ta ɗauko musu kuɗin mota. Ba jimawa ta fito, suka tafi.

A duk lokacin tafiyar babu wanda yayi magana. Nuri kuka take, Mami kuwa tana riƙe kukan nata saboda tana son ƙarfafawa yaranta gwiwa.

A police station direban napep ya sauke su, suka ba shi kuɗinsa suka shiga ciki. Kallon su sergeants ɗin suke yi, musamman Nuri, wacce kyanta ke jan hankali. Kyawunta abu ne na halitta. A natural phenomena.

“Hajiya, lafiya?” ɗaya daga cikinsu ya tambaya. Afif ne ya basu bayani, sai dai babu wata alama da za'a bi domin gano abin da ya faru.

“Watakila masu garkuwa ne. Zasu kira ku da kansu, zasu nemi kuɗin fansa. Kuyi haƙuri, hajiya, ku koma gida har sai sun kira. Idan sun kira, ga lamba nan zan baku, sai kuzo ku sanar da mu…”

Kukan da Mami take dannawa ya kufce mata. Masu garkuwa sun yi garkuwa da mijinta, uban yaranta, jigon rayuwarta. Kukan Mami ya ƙara raunata Afif da ke danne nasa kukan. Babu abin da zasu yi sai subi shawarar officers ɗin. Ya rubuta musu number, suka amsa, suka fita. A ƙafa suka fara tafiya cike da tashin hankali. Sai da suka yi nisa kafin suka tare napep ya kai su gida.

Wannan daren yafi kowane dare tsayi a rayuwarsu banda Mami data taba experiencing haka but in a different way. Bacci ya ƙi kusantar su. Suna zaune a wuri ɗaya kamar za'a kwace wani daga cikinsu.

Wannan ba sabon abu ba ne a wurina Mami. Taga abinda yafi wannan nauyi, lokacin data rasa iyayenta da ’yan’uwanta. Amma yanzu tana jin abin da uwa ke ji ga yaranta. Tana tunanin idan kidnappers din sun nemi kuɗi, ta ina zasu samu kudin biya.

Dangin Abba suna cikin garin, har mahaifiyarsa tana nan, amma kamar babu su haka suke. Saboda ƙiyayyar da suke yiwa Mami.

Sallar asuba ce ta tashe su. Afif ya tafi masallaci, su kuma suka yi nasu a gida. Bayan salla Afif ya sanar da Imam abin daya faru. An yi musu addu’a cike da tausayi, domin Abba mutum ne mai kirki. Kusan kowa a unguwa yana sanshi.

Kusan ƙarfe 8, ba tare da sun ci abincin safe ba, suka fita. Haka ma babu wanda ya tuna da hakan.

Kai tsaye gidansu Abba suka nufa. Nuri ta ƙwanƙwasa ƙofar, ba daɗewa ba aka buɗe musu. Turus wadda ta buɗe tayi tana kallonsu da cold stare. Afif ya juya kai, saboda bai son a ƙara masa damuwa.

“Matsa mu wuce mana, Zakia,” Mami ta fadawa wadda ta bude kofar. “Koda gani na san ba lafiya ce ta kawoku ba, domin ba'a saba ganinku ba.” ta fadi tana juyawa.

Babu wanda ya kulata. Suka shiga gidan dake nan very messy, duk da safiya ce, kamar tun jiya ba'a gyara ba. Amma wannan ba shine damuwar Mami da yaranta ba.

Kai tsaye ɗakin Inna suka nufa. Mami tayi sallama a bakin ƙofa. Muryar tsohuwa ce ta amsa, “Shigo.”

Tare suka shiga. Dakin Inna tsaf yake, ƙamshin turaren wuta na tashi, domin bata son ƙazanta.

Kallon da take musu kallo ne na zallar rashin so. Zasu zauna a carpet ta ce, “A’a Bintu, ku zauna a kasa ko hutawa banyi ba da gyarawa waccan ba yimin take ba. Yawwa, ban buƙatar gaisuwar riƙeta. Kai tsaye faɗi abin da ya kawoku. Naga fuskokinku a kumbure, gobara akayi a gidan ne? Ina Audullahi yake? Hala shi bai taba dashi ba? Allah yasa bata cinye masa dukiyarsa ba? Ina buƙatar kuɗi ma, bari ya zo tukun.”

Hawaye ne ya biyo fuskar Nuri. Ta ɗaga hannunta dake da haske fiye da fuskarta ta share hawayenta. Afif ya miƙe ya fita ba tare da ya kalleta ba. Matar na son kanta sosai.

“Yara duk babu tarbiyya. Kun shigo gansansan, babu sallama, bare gaisuwa. Ba laifinku bane, laifin ubanku Audullahi ne da ya auri mara tarbiyya.”

Mami da Nuri suka rufe idanu. Afif ya ƙara saurin fita domin kar ya mayar mata da magana. Rashin ganin mahaifansu ne kawai ya ishesu. Shi bai fahimci dalilin zuwansu nan ba. To him, babu abin da za'a yi anan da zai warware matsalar, sai dai rayuka su ɓaci. Ya fita kai tsaye.

“Inna, jiya ne aka zo aka ɗauke shi a mota. Muna tunanin masu garkuwa ne…”

Inna ta miƙe da sauri kamar ance mata action, hakan ya dan razanasu.

“’Yan kimashi ne suka kama Audu! Audu aka yi kimashin? Innā lillāhi wa innā ilaihi rāji‘ūn…” Sai ta rushe da kuka, ta zauna a ƙasa. “Burinki ya cika, Bintu, ke da yaranki. Allah ya tsine muku. Shi dai idan akwai rabon fitowarsa, Allah ya fiddo shi kawai… kimashin… innā lillāhi, ni Laure…” Sai ta ƙara rusa kuka da ƙarfin murya.

Wannan ya ishesu. Tana ƙara musu damuwa kan wadda suke da ita. Abdullahi shine babba a yaran Inna, namiji kaɗai. Zakia ke binsa, wadda ta ƙi gidan aure. Sai Salama wadda ke aure a Lagos, tana dadewa ba tazo ba. Abba bai rage musu komai ba ci, sha, sutura, har ma gidan nan shi ya saya musu. Amma basa gani saboda ya auri Bintu.

“Tashi Nuriyya,” Mami tace. Kafin ta ƙarashe, Nuri ta miƙe, domin ta gaji da wasan Inna. Ba suyi musu sallama ba, suka fita kai tsaye suka koma gida.

A ƙofar gidansu suka tarar da Afif a tsaye, idanunsa jajur.

“Biyayye am,” Nuri ta kira shi a sanyaye. Ya ɗaga kai, hawaye na gangaro masa. “Adda, anan fa suka ɗauke shi, wallahi. Na kasa… I failed as a son… Adda, na kasa taimaka wa Abba… Ban amfane shi da komai ba… kamar banda amfani haka nake ji…”

Nuri ta rufe masa baki tana rushewa da kuka wanda ya jawo musu hankalin mutane.

Mami ta jawosu suka shiga ciki. A nan suka durƙusa suna fashewa da kuka. Afif yana maimaita, “Na kasa Adda. Na kasa Mami…”

Nuri ta rungume shi tana girgiza kai, Mami na tsaye tana kallonsu da hawaye, she's out of words. Kusan sa’a guda suka yi haka kafin Mami ta ja su ciki ta zaunar da su. A lokacin sun daina kuka, sai ajiyar zuciya kawai. Mami zaune a tsakiya, suna rungume da ita.

_________

*Meanwhile, In prison*

A wasu ƙasashen, they investigate first kafin a yanke hukunci. A Najeriya, ana karɓar kuɗine kafin a rubuta suna a takarda a yanke hukunci.  

Da safen nan, ba hukunci za'a yanke ba. Za'a yanke rai ne. Kuma ran bana mai laifi bane. It's an innocent life.

Mutuwa tana da farashi a wannan ƙasar, farashin talaka shine mutuwarsa. Farashin mai kuɗi shine he just pays and walks free.

Da safen nan wani zai tafi, tambayar kawai ita ce zai tafi ne with his own name, or with another man's name?...........

A hankali Abba ya buɗe idonsa waɗanda suka yi masa nauyi, ya sauke su akan mutanen dake wurin sanye da uniform kalar prison. Ya biyo su da kallo yana ƙoƙarin tuna asalin abinda ya faru. It took him less than a minute ya tuna komai. Hakan yasa yayi saurin miƙewa ya zauna yana kallonsu.

Daidai lokacin yaji wani da yake nuna alamun shine shugaba a wurin yana cewa "let's change him with this old man here. Hajiya ta biya kuɗin da ya kamata. Kudi masu nauyi da kaf zuri'armu babu mai yin talauci. Wannan din ya dace. He's the perfect replacement."

Wani a can edge of the office ya gyada kai kawai. Kanaji ka san sam wannan bai yi masa ba, the corruption was too much, babu yadda zaiyi tunda ba shine babba ba awurin. Wani da laifi, wani da amsar hukunci, hukuncin ma na kisan kai! Rashin adalcin yayi yawa. Too much injustice in one room.

"Ahhm Baba laifin kisan kan da ka aikata ne za'a yanke maka hukuncinsa yanzu yanzu." Wannan sam ba shine rules na hukunta mai laifi ba. This is not how justice is supposed to work.

Kamar wani da ya bugu Abba ya bishi da kallo yana maimata "kisa" a ransa. Sai yaji kamar ma bai gane yaren da akayi masa magana da shi ba. Ga dai shi Hausa ne amma bai fahimta ba. Don haka ya biyo su da kallo kawai. He just stared, confused.

Wancan da hukuncin bai masa ba sai kallon Abba yake da tausayi kafin ya miƙe a ƙarshe kawai ya fita. Ya gaji da ganin zallar rashin adalcin da akeyi anan. Kullum da kalar rashin gaskiyar da ake aikatawa a prison din. Mai kuɗi ko yaushe shine da gaskiya. Abinda suke shirin aikatawa yau yafi kowanne. Swapping an innocent man who has family with someone else. Yana jin ajiye aikin kawai zaiyi he can't stand all this anymore.

Lawyer dake wurin da alamu sun nuna kamar shine wanda ya bada contract din aikin ma ya kalli Abba yana cewa "kaine kayi kisan Baba. You're the one. You're guilty."

Abba ya girgiza kai yana cewa “ba ni ba ne! Kun kama mutumin da ba daidai ba! You arrested the wrong man!”

Lawyer ya duba takarda yayi dariya "On paper you're the killer. Kuma a Najeriya, takarda itace gaskiya.”

"Wai me kuke cewa? Ba ni bane!” Abba ya sake faɗa musu kamar dai yana so su yarda da zallar gaskiyar da yake faɗa musu. "I'm telling you the truth!”

“Shiru. Sunan ka Mu'az Bello shine abinda yake rubuce anan.”

"Sunana Abdullahi Ibrahim not Mu'az Bello."

"A wurinmu you're Mu'az! That's who you're in our records" officer in charge ya faɗa yana rubutu a takarda.

“Ka duba da kyau. Ba ni bane!”

Lauyan ya daidaita tie dinsa ya murmusa “mun duba. Ka sani mu anan talaka kawai muke kashewa. The rich pay for their funeral while they're still breathing.

Abba ya kureshi da kallo sosai kafin yace wani abu wani anan cikinsu ya sake cewa "Mai kuɗi a duk inda yake yafi talaka daraja. Mutuwar ka itace darajar sa. Your death gives him value."

“Shi ya biya da kuɗi. Kai kawai ka biya da ranka.” Money talks in Nigeria, Nigerian people worship money.

Abba ya duba hannunsa yana cewa “Wadannan hannayen basu taba kashe kaza ba bare kashe mutum."

“Kayi hakuri. A wannan ƙasar, muryar talaka kamar iska ce. Ana jin ta amma bata motsa komai.” The poor man's voice is just wind.

"Amma akwai Allah, yana kallonku. Ku tuna kuma mutane ne kamar ni. Ina da iyali da suke matuƙar buƙatana a kusa dasu."

Jami'in da yasan ba shine mai laifin ba yace "duba... ni ma ina da yara. Idan na fadi gaskiya, I'll be the next one here."

Miƙewa tsaye duk suka yi suka karaso wajen Abba suka miƙar da shi tsaye shima. Lokacin da suka zo ɗaure masa hannu, ya murmusa ya ce “laifi na ɗaya kawai, na haifu ba tare da kuɗi ba. That's my death sentence"

Kafafun Abba suna rawa, amma ba saboda tsoro ba. Saboda wannan ƙasar bata daidaita ba. Kowane mataki da aka ɗauka masa yanzu, mataki ne da wani mai kuɗi ya biya ya guje shi.

Sun ce zai mutu yanzu. Amma shi ya mutu tun dazu da suka ce masa “kaine”. Sunan da mahaifinsa ya ba shi Abdullahi ya mutu. Yanzu shi “Mu'az Bello” ne. Mutumin da bai taba gani ba, bai taba sani ba. He died the moment they called him by another man's name.

Waje duk suka fita, wannan hallway ɗin ya bi da kallo yana jin yadda jikinsa yake yin sanyi sosai. He will pay for another man's crime just because he's poor.

Idan ya rufe idonsa ahalinsa yake gani. Mahaifiyarsa, matarsa da yaransa guda biyu. Ya tuna wani lokaci da Innarsa ta ce dashi “Audu kai jarumi ne, jarumin gidana”. To yau ya zama jarumi, amma jarumin da zai mutu don laifin wani. A hero dying for someone else's sin.

Bai san wane hali suke ciki ba. Yasan suna can hankalinsu duk a tashe don kuwa ya gina gidansa cike da so da kaunar juna. Yasan zasu yi kewarsa sai dai shi already ya fara kewar rabuwa dasu na har abada. Yana addu'ar Allah ya kula masa dasu a duk inda zasu kasance. Ya sani babu wata dabara da zata kubutar dashi daga hannun waɗannan azzaluman. Ya barsu da Allah, domin kuwa baya bacci yana kallon dukkan abinda suke aikatawa. Yasan ba'a kanshi suka fara ba amman he prays he's the last victim.

Ƙofar suka buɗe. Sanyi yafi yawa a wurin. Amma zuciyar Abba zafi take domin ya fahimci da gaske suke. Basu bashi any chance ba. Da gaske suke sun karbi kuɗi na fitar hankali duk don su rufawa wani can asiri. Hush money to bury the truth.

Sarkin gidan yari ya matsa button. Abba ya rufe idonsa. Abu na ƙarshe daya gani kafin duhu yazo shine hoton yaransa biyu da yake so sosai aranshi.

 

Case closed. The wrong man died for someone else's crime.

To be continued......

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