07/02/2025
Under My Hotel Bed Episode Seven
I was in the cell that morning, lying on the cold floor and thinking about what the judge might say in court. My stomach was burning, but I didn’t care much about the ulcer pain anymore. I was more worried about how this case would go. Would they jail me for something I didn’t do? Or would my lawyer be able to prove that I was innocent? I didn’t know that Mary had already taken another step. I didn’t know that while I was in pain, she was planning something dangerous to help me.
Mary went to the police station very early that morning. She wore a plain black gown and carried her phone in her hand. She had already set her voice recorder before entering the DPO’s office. When she entered, she greeted him but he didn’t answer. She didn’t care. She sat down and looked him straight in the eyes. “Sir, I came to tell you that you must release my boyfriend,” she said calmly. “I know you collected a bribe from the MD. You and the MD are trying to destroy an innocent man.”
The DPO laughed. “You are mad. Get out of my office before I arrest you too.” But Mary stood up and pointed at him.
“You are a thief!. You collected bribe and you framed my boyfriend. You’re not a real policeman. You are working for criminals.” The DPO became very angry. He stood up and slammed his hand on the table.
“I will make sure Williams dies in jail! You and your useless boyfriend are powerless! You cannot do anything to stop me!” The DPO said.
“You think you’re a god? You think you can do anything and get away with it?” Mary asked. The DPO looked at her and laughed again.
“Yes! I can do anything I want!. I work for the MD. He paid me N2 million to put your boyfriend behind bars, and I have done it. I will never allow him to come out. Do your worst!” The DPO said. Mary stood quietly and smiled.
“Thank you for admitting it, sir. I have heard everything I needed to hear. You will hear from me soon.” Mary said.
As she walked out of the DPO’s office, Mary sent the voice recording to his WhatsApp. He didn’t notice it until she left the building. When he finally saw the message, he played the audio and became shocked. He couldn’t believe he had confessed to taking bribe and threatening to kill a suspect. Mary sent another message: “If you don’t release Williams today in court, I will send this audio to Abuja. You will lose your job and go to prison. Make your choice now.” The DPO dropped his phone and sat down, confused.
While that was going on, my lawyer was also busy. He had gone to the hotel where I lodged the night of the incident. He met the security men and explained that he was working on my case. At first, they refused to talk to him, but when he gave them some money, they became friendly.
“Sir, there’s CCTV footage for that day, but nobody asked for it before,” one of them said. They gave him a flash drive. The lawyer went to his car, connected it to his laptop, and began to watch.
What he saw shocked him. The video clearly showed when I entered the hotel alone. I was carrying only a small bag. I greeted the receptionist and went upstairs to my room. A few hours later, the video showed something unbelievable. Two police officers were seen dragging a body into the hotel through the back entrance. They pushed the body into the elevator and went straight to my room. Everything was clear. The entire setup was captured on camera.
My lawyer quickly made copies of the video and drove to the police station. He didn’t care about protocols. He barged into the DPO’s office and connected his laptop.
“You need to watch this,” he said. The DPO looked at the screen and froze. He watched as his men dragged the dead body into the hotel.
“So you framed my client?” My lawyer asked. The DPO sighed. “It was the MD. He told us Williams was coming to that hotel that night. He paid us to plant the body.”
Just as they were still speaking, the DPO’s phone rang. It was the MD. The call was on speaker. “You must release Williams. Mary has something dangerous against me. If that video and audio leaks, we’re finished. Just release him now. I don’t want to go down. Do it now!” The MD said.
The DPO ended the call and looked at my lawyer. “We’ll go to court now. I will withdraw the case.”
That afternoon, I was taken back to court. I was weak and tired, not knowing what had happened. But when we entered the courtroom, I noticed that things were different. The DPO walked to the front and whispered something to the prosecutor. My lawyer stood up. “My Lord, the prosecution wishes to withdraw all charges,” he announced.
The judge looked surprised. “Are you sure?” he asked. The prosecutor nodded.
“Yes, my Lord. New evidence has come up.” The judge looked at me. “Mr. Williams, you are free to go,” he said. “You may leave.”
I didn’t know whether to cry or smile. I just stood there, confused. Mary ran to me and hugged me tightly.
“You’re free. They can’t hurt you again.” My lawyer shook my hand. I turned and looked at the DPO. His face was sad. He knew that his career was finished. As we walked out of the court, I saw the MD standing far away. He looked scared. He quickly entered his car and drove off. That day, the truth came out and I was no longer a prisoner.
Later that night, Mary played the audio for me. I listened to the DPO’s voice calling us powerless. I listened to his bold confession. I couldn’t believe how fearless Mary had been. She risked everything for me. She confronted powerful men and fought for my freedom.
“Thank you. You saved me.” I said.
“You would have done the same for me. She replied. I nodded, knowing she was right. That night, I slept in my own bed, not in a cell, and I slept with peace in my heart.
But the matter was not over. My lawyer said we had to sue the MD and the police for unlawful arrest, defamation, and attempted murder. He promised to take the case to the highest court.
“They will pay for what they did to you.” He said.
Watch out for episode 8
