Who Killed The Principal?

Chapter One

28th August, 2022.

   The sound of the police sirens made the students of Willow Heights Academy rush out of their dorms. They watched as the police car drove into the compound. Gasps and whispers filled the dorm block as they wondered what the police were doing in their school at such a late hour.

   The detective and a handful of officers rushed to the scene where the school's security men were waiting. The rest of the officers went off with their yellow tape to seal the building.

   "What happened?" Detective Okoye asked the old security man. He looked shaken up and his pitch black face was squeezed in a frown.

   "Oga police. I no know wetin happen o. I no know." He clarified, waving his hands all over the place. "Me and the others dey for gate before we come realize that oga principal neva go home. I say make I look for am. Na so I come here see.. see." He choked on his words as a shiver ran down his spine. He looked up at the window upstairs. The fluorescent bulb of the office was dull because of the rain.

   Detective Okoye marched into the building with the security man shakily leading him to the dreaded office. The door was already ajar as they approached the office. The security man stopped in his steps and pointed at the office.

  "Na the office be that." He whispered as though he was going to disturb anyone. Detective Okoye walked into the office after taking a long breath.

    In the middle of the medium sized room was the body of a man identified as the principal of the school. Detective Okoye looked at the slightly plump man and sighed. He squatted beside the body and gave him a quick look over. Okoye noticed the patch of blood in the man's lower abdomen and slowly raised the damp navy shirt. The man was stabbed to death.

  "Sir, the ambulance is here." One of his officers reported and he nodded. This case was one of a kind. He has never been called to a school because of a murder case in all his ten years of being a detective.

   "It's too late to start any investigation. Let the ambulance carry the body and inform his family. We'll be back tomorrow." He commanded and the officer nodded swiftly.

  Detective Okoye looked around the room once more and sighed. A thin material caught his eye from the side of the table. He put on his glove and picked the material. It looked like a school uniform material..

2 weeks before the murder.

    The sound of the bell rang that early morning making the students groan. The massive compound was scanty and had a few students littered around.

   "Why is that old fart calling us?" A girl asked while yawning in boredom. Her friend shrugged nonchalantly. Her focus was more on the nails she newly painted.

   Slowly, the students filed into the school hall. Most of them grumbled under their breaths while the others glared at the man standing on the podium. 

   The Principal, Mr Uche Martins, watched the students as they sluggishly stood in straight lines. What did he expect in a school filled with rich, over pampered children?

   "Morning students." He greeted, knowing fully well he won't get a response. He cleared his throat and glared at the students, eventually getting a few random replies. "I'll be brief with the announcement." He said, "I wish to congratulate you students on your conduct in the first half of the holiday extension classes. I hope you are taking them seriously." He paused, waiting for a response. A few students rolled their eyes while others just listened on. 

   "The school board had an emergency meeting yesterday and we came to a satisfactory conclusion. Some of your parents complained that these classes are just a waste of time. So, we decided that in two weeks time, there'll be a mock examination."