I was concerned with the wife, who was due to give birth this month, and would not deprive of the presence of the man to take care of her. I asked for her address and went to see if indeed he has a pregnant wife and to verify whether the guy is telling the truth. 

The Pregnant Wife

It was a complicated address because the place of residence is in a squatter’s area and the houses were in disarray. He volunteered to go with us, promised not to escape but I declined. Armed with the cues in finding the place, we finally reached a simple boarding house and asked if a woman with such a name stays there. There was a newly transferred couple, according to the lady who entertained our query, and we proceeded to find out. Indeed, a young, pregnant girl of 18 met us and confirmed that his husband went to see their relative in a location a block away from our boarding house. I talked to her for a few more minutes and confirmed some facts told me by her husband. She knew her husband brought a bread knife and a piece of wood and even cautioned him not to bring those things as he might be apprehended by the police for possession of deadly weapons. Allegedly, it was for self-defense because some guys are after him. I asked her to go with us and see her husband. She asked me to bring her mother with her.

The simple abode of the couple in the complicated array of houses in the squatter’s area.

Family Reunited

Back to the station, the family was reunited. My wife also met the lady police who said she knew the young man and that she knew the man’s family, who, incidentally also rents her relative’s place. We told the police that we will not press charges but asked a promissory note from the young man not to frequent the area where he was apprehended because we still have second thoughts on his intentions. We believe that because he was ostracized from the family, he has no means to bring up his family and maybe opted to steal because of financial difficulty. He has no work, had been driving a tricycle part-time without license, and did not finish a course.  His wife did not finish high school and is also without work.

What do you think?

With these given facts, what do you think? Is the accused guilty or not?