The Accused

Kersley No, thank you, My Lord.

Webster I wasn’t tellin’ no porkies.

Judge You may leave the box now, Mr Webster.

Webster And I did see the door slam. (Remains in the witness box.)

Judge Mr Webster, will you please leave the courtroom. (Webster reluctantly leaves.)

Webster On my mother’s life, I swear I saw it slam shut! (He walks off, aided by Guard.)

Guard This way, sir.

Webster I only told ’em what you told me to say!

The lights fade on all members of the court as Webster exits. Blackout as sound of bells is heard.

Scene Two

Later that afternoon.

When the lights come up Mr Hussein is in the witness box. He is between forty and fifty, formally dressed, and speaks with a pronounced Indian accent. The Koran should be wrapped in a cloth.

Usher How will you take the oath, Mr Hussein.

Hussein On the Koran, sir.

Usher Take the Koran in your right hand and read from the card.

Hussein I swear by Almighty Allah that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Kersley Your name is Masood Hussein, and you are the proprietor of Hussein the Chemist, 141 High Street, Wellingborough?

Hussein Yes, sir I am.

Kersley Mr Hussein, perhaps you could tell the court how you became involved in this case.

Hussein I read in one of the medical journals of the premature death of Mrs Elizabeth Sherwood. I wouldn’t have given the matter a second thought, had it not been for an accompanying photograph of the mourners attending the funeral.

Kersley Why were the mourners of any significance, Mr Hussein?

Hussein I observed a lady standing a few paces behind Mr Sherwood whom I thought I recognised. I studied her face more closely with a magnifying glass and realised I had seen her before, but couldn’t remember where.

Kersley And did you eventually remember?

Hussein Yes, it was some days later when I was making an entry in my register of poisons and came across the signature of a Ms J. Mitchell at the top of the page, and recalled that she had visited the pharmacy several times.

Kersley Can you be certain that it was the same Ms Mitchell whose photograph you saw?

Hussein Oh, yes, I checked back through the register and discovered that Ms Mitchell had called in to the pharmacy on six separate occasions during a period of three months, and always on a Saturday.

Kersley But that doesn’t prove she was the woman in the photograph?

Hussein But Mr Sherwood’s signature does.

Kersley Mr Sherwood’s signature?

Hussein Yes, he had countersigned all the prescriptions.