The images of a person being lynched yesterday touched a nerve and social media has been all a-flutter with the usual outrage that accompanies such incidents, but that's as far as things ever get in this country of ours. All talk and talk but no walk. Twice I have been in the perfect situation to be a victim of jungle justice, luckily a bloodthirsty crowd wasn't readily on hand. The first time was at Area 3, Abuja where a number of banks are clustered. I had gone to the bank with my mum as we both had business to do there. While in the banking hall, she asked me to help her go get something important she left in the car. I got to the carpark, matched to a car that looked exactly like hers and tried opening it, I was annoyed when it wouldn't open despite repeated attempts. I only realised my error when I checked the plate number. The car was parked on the same row and just a few cars away from my mum's. Same car, same colour, same everything but for the plate numbers. Imagine the owner of that car had arrived while I was trying to open it, I would have been caught as it were, red-handed. I had a similar experience that's even more terrifying when you think of it. I had arranged with my mum to pick me at a junction close to home on her way back from town. I got to the junction and called her, she told me to walk up a bit to where she was parked. I matched off in her direction and sighting a car I believed to be hers, I yanked the passenger's side open, a terrified male driver and his female companion shouted "Who's that?!". I was completely taken aback, I quickly looked up to discover that the car I was to enter was parked a few yards in front. In the dark night, I couldn't make out the colour of the car I had mistaken for my ride but the tail lights were all the same. I apologised to the passengers who may have been scared out of their wits and quickly walked off. That incident could have swung either way, what excuse did I have to open a stranger's car at night? No matter how incriminating circumstances may look, listen to both sides. Even the bible acknowledges human error in matters of judgement, that's why it says in Proverbs 18:17; "The first person to speak sounds right until the cross examination begins."
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