Fumo told his classmates that they should meet early the next day to plan how to save Rehema from the forced marriage. The next day, Waridi and Shaka arrived at Fumo’s home very early in the morning. They all sat outside talking.
“Now, what evidence do we give my father so that he can help us save Rehema?” Fumo asked his friends.
They all discussed this but did not solve the evidence puzzle. While they were talking like that, they saw Lulu running towards them. She was running very fast, as if she was being chased by a dog. When she reached them, she bent down to take catch her breath.
“Lulu, what’s wrong? Tell us quickly,” Fumo said to Lulu.
“Yesterday, when you came with your father, Rehema was given sleeping pills so that she would not talk to you, and also medicines were placed on the table next to her bed so that you would think that she was sick. Rehema is not sick at all. I also know where the wedding will take place. They will do it secretly in an opening in the middle of Majanga Forest. Rehema has already been taken to Majanga Forest and the wedding will start at any moment! We do not have time! Come and save her!” Lulu finished talking, then she ran back home so she would not be seen talking to them.
Fumo ran into his house and woke up his father.
“Father, please wake up. Now we have the evidence that you wanted!” Fumo said loudly, as he knocked on his father’s bedroom door.
The inspector got up, got ready, put on his uniform, and put his pistol on his waist. He sat with Fumo, Waridi, and Shaka in the living room.
“What evidence have you got? Explain to me so that I can take immediate action,” he said to the children.
“Lulu has just told us that the wedding will take place place secretly in the middle of Majanga Forest. Rehema has already been taken there by her father and the ceremony will take place any time from now, Father,” Fumo answered his father.
“Do you trust Lulu?” the inspector asked the children.
“Well, Lulu cannot lie to us about something like that. She really wants us to save Rehema,” Fumo answered his father.
“OK then,” the inspector answered, and then took his phone and called one of his colleagues.
“Hello, Corporal Popa. Take five officers and drive very fast to my place with the police car! We have some work to do, arresting an old man who wants to marry off his very young daughter in Majanga Forest!” The inspector spoke on the phone and then hung up and they all waited.
Suddenly, a police Land Rover arrived with six police officers.
“Are you kids ready?” the inspector asked Fumo, Waridi, and Shaka.
“We are ready, Inspector!” they all answered with one voice, and they saluted him jokingly while smiling.
“Get in back there, let’s go to Majanga Forest,” the inspector told the children.
Fumo, Waridi, and Shaka got into the back of the Land Rover and sat with the five police officers, who were heavily armed with big guns. Then the Inspector sat in front with the driver and the Land Rover sped away towards Majanga Forest.
The Land Rover followed the road that led to Majanga Forest. They came to a place where Majanga Forest was dense and there was no road. The inspector alighted and ordered his fellow officers and the children to alight and walk together to Rehema’s wedding.
They all walked in a hurry in Majanga Forest. The police officers held their guns ready to fire in case of any incident. The inspector was in front, directing them with facial and hand signals. The children walked behind the police officers. They ran briskly until they reached the middle of Majanga Forest. They saw a very small field in the middle of Majanga Forest. The inspector, the police officers, and the children hid in the bushes and watched the field. They saw that the wedding ceremony was about to start. From a distance, they saw Rehema, who was crying silently. They saw that she had been forced to stand next to Mr Mapengo. Rehema was dressed in a bridal gown and Mr Mapengo was wearing a very elegant suit. Mr Mapengo looked very happy. Mr Pilipili also stood beside Rehema. They also saw the one in charge of the wedding. He was the old man in charge of traditions and culture. The old man was wearing traditional regalia. He held an ox tail in his right hand like an ancient healer. There were only four other elders who attended the wedding. They were all standing aside watching the ceremony.
When Fumo, Waridi, and Shaka saw Rehema shedding tears, they were very sad. Suddenly, they heard the old man speaking.
“Now we are ready to start the wedding! Mr Mapengo, do you agreed to take Rehema Pilipili as your wedded wife…”
Before the old man could finish speaking, the inspector ordered his police officers to advance and arrest all those attending the wedding.
The police officers rushed forward with their guns at the ready while the children followed behind. When Mr Pilipili saw the inspector and his fellow police officers, he tried to escape, but one police officer ran and arrested him.
“Mr Pilipili and your friends, today we are arresting you for the crime of trying to marry off a minor. All of you should be ready to go to jail for a long time when you attend court tomorrow!” Inspector Fanya Fujo said, as he and his colleagues handcuffed all those who had attended the wedding. Fumo, Waridi, and Shaka ran to Rehema and hugged her, crying with happiness.
“Thank you very much, my friends. Friends in need are friends indeed. Today you have saved me from the crocodile’s mouth,” Rehema said, with tears of joy.
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