A REVIEW OF TEBOGO AND URIAH HEEP

TEBOGO AND URIAH HEEP

By Omoseye Bolaji

Review by Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga

Another fine mystery book by the author  that reveals the findings of a most brutal murder committed against the daughter of "Bra Uriah", Anne Duma.  Tebogo the renowned Free State private detective after some quiet years of hardly hearing anything from him, is once again in the spotlight and tasked with one of the complicated missions which ultimately proved to be a success because of the enormous evidence he got from his investigations.

Anne Duma, the hapless female victim who was staying in Dealesville a town in the Free State was mercilessly murdered.  Her murder remained an odious thing to her father.  The murder of Anne caused her father to live a very strange life.  A well-known person to some top politicians who would also benefit from this connection.  Affectionately, portrayed in the book as Bra Uriah whom Biggie knew better for years, including the time Uriah was connected to top politicians.

Early in this work, Tebogo and Biggie went to see Bra Uriah.  When they were about to reach Bra Uriah’s place Biggie began to inform Tebogo that “You see, the murdered young woman was Bra Uriah’s daughter.  His only daughter.  He was always a strange character, but he went to pieces after her murder… and now lives a bit away from other people…” 

“Not just a bit, my friend,” I said, but more restrained now as I subconsciously understood the agony of Uriah, and the way he had withdrawn from the much vaunted “polite society” … Whatever this means!

From the passage above and the time Tebogo went to meet with Bra Uriah through Biggie, it is poignantly clear that Uriah was badly affected by the murder of his only daughter Anne Duma.  Most of the time, death of some people close to a person or directly related with the person, can trigger debilitating feelings where one's spirit and strength can be deeply affected.  It may seem baffling how Uriah especially after his young daughter had been murdered to display certain strange attitudes in society.  The prospect was to see his daughter growing up to the fullest.  

And to Tebogo the sleuth, bra Uriah was also very queer.  Apart from Bra Uriah's strange behavior, he owned a magnificent home library.  Tebogo was astounded by the startling library at his place.  Even Uriah too was passionately attached to the books found at his library.  He demonstrated this by highlighting: “Look at these books here, some of my favourites.  They symbolize the tragedy of life…”.  He picked up Gabriel Okara’s novel The Voice: “Here we see how Okolo suffers despite being a very good young man.  He is hounded, accused of things he’s not done, chased away, and in the end killed, together with the “innocent witch” Tuere…

Also: "And in this book you see how brother and sister die at the end, more or less celebrating their own demise as they are drowned…”  I looked at the book, titled The Mill on the Floss, by George Eliot.

Despite all the odds in Bra Uriah's place, he was able to express his grief and dissatisfaction.  His protracted distraught mien made him to constantly want the death of his daughter to be avenged.  As far as investigations are concerned nothing has been achieved so far to apprehend the perpetrator of such heinous act.  Overall, Bra Uriah wanted the truth as to why his daughter was killed and who murdered her.  Biggie managed to rope in Tebogo the private detective so that he could investigate the murder.  Tebogo was expected to be in Dealesville for a certain occasion where donation was arranged and he was going to make a speech on that occasion. 

Before Tebogo came to Dealesville where he was going to attend this occasion, Biggie told him about a place where Tebogo would stay, Tshidiso Guest House which is beside Calamity House.  Apparently, the venue where the donation would be done was far from the guest house, many streets away.  However, Tebogo was dumbfounded when he heard the name Calamity House and we learn that he winces.  What type of name is that? Who will name their place Calamity House?  

But Tebogo was told: “It’s not an official name, many people just call it that, rather fondly really.  Actually I understand Calamity House is now a shebeen or a tarven…you’ll see for yourself.  Here - in the house- a young woman was brutally murdered just over a year ago… a real tragedy."

Anne Duma was murdered and the purpose of her death or why she was stabbed to death has been shrouded in mystery- until Tebogo waded in. Her close friend, Matshidiso would not be sure why Anne Duma was murdered.  Other people who were also close to Anne Duma are Nthabiseng, Moalusi who did not know why she was killed so brutally.   Tebogo by being in Dealsville was very inviting, his presence became quickly familiar because he wanted to know what exactly led to the murder of Bra Uriah’s daughter.  At the Calamity House where Anne Duma had been ruthlessly stabbed to death, Tebogo got to meet and parlay with other people like Tony and another guy beside him.  He had already started with his investigation:

 “With the air of one vouchsafing a secret I said to them now: “You know, I was almost afraid to come here… I heard a rumour that people, even women have been brutally killed in this house...  Terrible, but it's history now, “I hope they throw away the key to the prison cell of the killer”.  I said.  What a cruel person”.  Both men stared at me, and explained more or less at the same time that the killer was never found.  Calamity House was now a shebeen run by Anne's grandmother.  To be in the Calamity House it gave Tebogo courage to investigate the murder with ease.  It is not usual to find a stranger in the place asking strange questions and be eventually accepted and welcome without any difficulties. But Tebogo always manages this with facility, as we can see from the series over the years!

As usual whilst on the case Tebogo somewhat collaborates with the police to be informed about their investigation.  Tebogo met with the police to get information about their findings pertinent to the gruesome murder of Anne.  “Thabo Kunene, the cop in charge… very nice guy, though of course he can be tough if needs be, I think he knows about you anyway”.  That was Tumisang, a cousin of Tebogo's wife. 

He ushers Tebogo to Thabo Kunene who was very elated to see Tebogo as he apparently venerated him.  After they met, Tebogo told Kunene about his intention to investigate the murder of Anne.

However, Thabo Kunene began to illustrate that “You know how difficult these things can be, bro.  Some cases need time, and till date I can not say we have made the breakthrough with the case.  I personally want to avenge the lady, Anne who died in such an unfortunate, painful manner.  As you know in these matters we always wonder about the motive.  Why was Anne killed?  By whom?  But firstly we look at facts.”  The cop in charge Thabo Kunene would reveal certain names of suspects, especially Sizwe.

 Sizwe was a possible suspect from the people who were living nearby Calamity House.  His intention was to marry Anne and was Anne's boyfriend.  People around would generally suspect him to be the culprit but those who were close to Anne were skeptical that Sizwe could be such a bad boyfriend to commit such a vile, despicable, heinous act.  Obviously the reason why people conceptualized about Sizwe being the murderer was because he was not treating her like a nice lady.  Their relationship was overwhelmed by setbacks which were overtly known to many people around. And we get to learn also that Nthabiseng, out of fury would appear to believe that Matshidiso could have been  the one who murdered Anne.

Overall, Tebogo's conclusion about the investigation he made, was that a certain "suspect" (let us not give the game away in this review) did not give a similar statement unlike others who remembered the terrible screams from Anne in the Calamity House at that cold night.  Beforehand during investigations, the guilty party had talked with Tebogo.

"Do you remember anything special from night she died?”  He managed to say:  “I could not sleep that night…It was bad… the portents were there.  I just could not sleep despite the cold, not that cold worries me too much..

“And I was in pain too, sort of shriveling that night.  Reminds me of when you put paraffin on a reptile… terrible, but that’s how I felt that night… I just could not sleep, yet there was nothing to show danger and horror was around… that the girl was losing her life.. ." 

From what we learn from other suspects when Anne died, there were loud jarring screams when she was stabbed.  Tebogo, disclosing the mystery to Biggie at the end after the arrest of Moalusi said “You are very right.  In the end, the testimonies of these people did not jell ...  I mean the screaming heard that night by the others..."

The action is largely weaved around Calamity House - in Dealesville. Another thrilling, brisk adventure as Tebogo pulls the chestnut out of the fire yet again!

* This is the 9th Tebogo Mokoena adventure, a series created and written by Omoseye Bolaji. Titles are hereunder:

Tebogo Investigates (2000)

Tebogo's spot of bother (2001)

Tebogo Fails (2003)

Ask Tebogo (2004)

Tebogo and the Haka (2008)

Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009)

Tebogo and the pantophagist (2010)

Tebogo and the Bacchae (2012).