“Not changing it, your honour,” said the lawyer. “That is what he is pleading.”

“Do you mean that was his original plea?”

“No, sir.”

The magistrate’s irritation was now very evident. “You mean that he originally pleaded guilty?”

“No. He has always said he is not guilty.”

The magistrate tapped his pen on his desk. “So the position is this: your client is pleading not guilty and always has.”

“Has what?” asked the lawyer.

“Has always pleaded not guilty.”

The lawyer nodded. “Only in this case, your honour. He has not pleaded not guilty any other time. Nor has he pleaded guilty.”

The magistrate ignored this. “Not guilty,” he said tersely.

The lawyer seemed surprised. Turning to Fanwell, he made a gesture to suggest that it was all over. “Not guilty,” he said. “The charges are being dismissed.”

The prosecutor now sprang to his feet. “I think the defence misunderstands the situation,” he said.

The magistrate stared at Fanwell’s lawyer. “What is this about the dismissal of charges, Mr. Mapoeli? Who said anything about that?”

The lawyer started to shake. “You said it, your honour. You said my client was not guilty.”

The magistrate grinned. “Did I? I don’t think I did, Mr. Mapoeli. I merely said that his plea is one of not guilty. That’s what I said.”

“Oh,” said the lawyer lamely. “I see.”

“I hope you do, Mr. Mapoeli,” said the magistrate. “Now the other accused? Accused No. 1, Chobie?”

Chobie’s lawyer rose to his feet. “He is pleading not guilty, sir.”

It was at this point, while the magistrate was making a note of the plea, that Mma Ramotswe noticed that Charlie was staring at Chobie. For his part, the young man in the dock initially seemed to avoid the stare, but then returned it. Charlie had made a gesture, not a very obvious one, but a gesture nonetheless. Chobie watched, and shifted in his seat. Charlie then made another gesture—a small movement of the hand that seemed, to Mma Ramotswe’s surprise, to be pointing towards her. Or was it something else altogether?

The magistrate cleared his throat and invited the prosecutor to begin. Chobie and Fanwell were prodded to stand up by the two policemen seated one on either side of them. The charges were then read out. A section of the Botswana Penal Code was mentioned, and there was reference to something having been done knowingly and willingly and then there was silence.

Mma Ramotswe was watching Charlie, who was still looking at Chobie. Again there was a surreptitious gesture. Mma Ramotswe shifted her gaze to Chobie and noticed, rather to her surprise, that he was staring at her.

The prosecutor mentioned a police witness, but before he could finish what he was saying, Chobie stood up. “I am guilty, sir.”

His lawyer spun round. “He has entered a plea of not guilty, sir.”

“No,” said Chobie. “I am saying I am guilty now.”