STORY TITLE: Trap
AUTHOR: Kelvin Jasi
CHAPTER 3
He dropped the call and said to me, “you’ve just gotten yourself into big trouble”.
“Why are you so sure that he took the phone?” Charmaine asked pointing at me.
“I haven’t said so”.
“So what are you insinuating, Dr Kuma?”
Dr Kuma hit his table out of anger. He stood up and the anger in him was visibly seen.
“How dare you talk back at me, young woman? Do you think I am your boyfriend? How dare you open your filthy stinking mouth to spew such rubbish? Go and ask who Dr Kuma is. No one gambles with me.”
“I am only respecting you because you are my lecturer”, Charmaine added.
During the heated argument, the Security Officer entered. “What is the problem, Doctor?”
“These animals think can get away with my phone. They stole my phone. Please get my phone for me before I lose my temper”, Dr. Kuma answered coming out of his desk.
The Security Officer turned to us and said, “this school has zero-tolerance for thievery; I hope you two are aware of that. This is a clear cut for rustication and subsequent prosecution. So I’m going to ask, where is the phone?”
Those words sank into my skull as I remembered what the student’s book said.
“Sir, I swear to God, I didn’t steal any phone”, I said amid tears.
Dr Kuma began to narrate how the phone got missing and how Charmaine insulted him for asking for his phone. We were taken to the Security Officer’s office.
Behind his office was an interrogation room where suspected criminals like us were interrogated. There were men of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) too.
We were given seats to sit down. The Security Officer began his interrogation by asking for our names, department, and student ID numbers. We provided him with all the details in writing.
He then asked what happened and we told him everything. We even told him that the two girls he met at the office we’re also there when Dr realized that his phone was missing.
“But he did not mention those girls. In fact, it was those girls that helped him look for the phone. So it is likely that one of you or both of you…”, the security officer didn’t finish his statement as Charmaine cut in.
“Excuse me Sir? Are you suggesting that we stole his phone? What will I be doing with that old calculator?” Charmaine fired.
“Young lady, I will advise you watch your mouth. I am only trying to help here. If this matter gets to the Council, hmmm! I don’t think you will be able to withstand.”
“And who cares?” asked Charmaine.
By that time, the news had already spread like wildfire throughout the campus. Various WhatsApp groups at the campus were already gossiping the news. WhatsApp messages were flooding on my phone.
Students from our department started coming to the Security Officer’s office. Calls began to come in too. ‘How did I get involved with the almighty Dr. Kuma?’ He was just a Doctor, but even Professors were afraid of him. He was not only wicked but devilish too.
I remembered the stories we came to hear about him. How a female final year student accused him of attempting to rape her in his office. The matter was reported to the Council. On the day of the hearing, the said student died from a ghastly motor accident on her way to the panel.
I remembered a final-year male student who was abducted for standing up for a female student who was raped by Dr Kuma. The young man was never heard of till today.
What of the small misunderstanding he had with a visiting lecturer – a Professor? I was told the Prof suffered from a stroke and died a few months later.
“I want to go”, Charmaine’s voice brought me back from those thoughts.
“Go to where?” the Security Officer asked.
“I have another lecture in the next ten minutes. I can’t stay here.”
“You will have to remain here until further instructions”, said the Security Officer.
“For how long, Sir?” I asked.
“For as long as the phone still remains with you”, the Security Officer fired back.
The few students who came to see us started going back to their engagements. At one point, we were denied access to our phones.
Two hours later I was led to the interrogation room. There was a table and two chairs on the opposite side of the table. I sat on one of the chairs. About a minute later, a man came in and sat on the other chair.
“My name is Inspector Anthony of the ZRP. Your case is dicey, but you can predict the outcome based on your cooperation”.
“I don’t understand, Sir.”
“You will”
He stood up, and just as he was about to exit the door, I heard Dr Kuma’s voice. I began to think about what he was doing there. I knew he came to ensure I paid for his inability to have Charmaine.
But I did not stop him from having his way. I did not even have any idea who Charmaine was dating. Why would I suffer for something I knew nothing about? Who was going to fight for me?
I looked my condition. I lost my father when I was 5. My mother had been the one struggling to look after the four of us. I was the firstborn. My mother had been sick for a while due to the inhumane treatment of my father’s younger brother. I could not afford her treatment. House rent was a recurring problem for us. To feed was even the worst challenge. But I had to go to school to secure a brighter future.
Thank God I met Charmaine, who became everything to me. She paid part of my fees, paid part of my rent, and had been responsible for my feeding for close to a year.
I was financially handicapped. So, who was going to help me out from the wicked grips of Dr. Kuma? As I was lost in those thoughts, I heard footsteps coming in my direction. I turned. Behold, it was Dr. Kuma.
END OF CHAPTER 3. Read the next episode, Chapter 4 here, now!
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