Earlier, the prosecution had read the new charge of con­spiracy and murder to Rev King, but his plea was not taken: That was after the first charge of attempted murder was withdrawn with the understanding of counsel on both sides.

But, as his name goes, Rev King had the singular privi­lege of being accorded "royal" attention following his com­plaint of bad press. In reaction to that, the Magistrate, Mr. Tajudeen Elias, ordered journalists to limit their reports to the court pro­ceedings, to avoid miscarriage of justice.

Rev. King and two others, Donatus Chiazor and Kelechi Chikere Queen had earlier been granted bail in the sum ofN2m each for attempted murder.

However, following the death of Ann Azuh, who was also a member of the church, the case took a dramatic turn as the accused persons were re-arrested, hence the new twist.

Their failure to meet the bail conditions is why they were remanded in prison custody in the first place. But while the brief court proceeding lasted, more drama unfolded out outside the court­room where supporters and opponents of King's style of worship dashed.

In fact, people believed to be relations of Rev King's victims called for his head while his die-hard loyalists likened his travails to the persecution of Jesus Christ.

Predictably, by 8 am on Friday an hour before the commencement of the celebrated trial, the streets leading to the court was seething with a large crowd from all parts of Lagos and Nigeria . From children to adults and the elderly, they clustered in diifferent groups, chattering about the impending trial with their faces suffused with anxiety and curiosity.

Amidst the inquisitive multi­tude at the court premises, Reverend King's disciples from the Christian Praying Assembly stood out in their appearance. His congregation, which turned out in hundreds, were clad in identical white dresses with HIS HOLINESS REVEREND Dr. KING" emblazoned on them and with the inscription "THE MAN OF THE MOMENT".

If you were not observant, you mis­take them for a group of bereaved people trying to livened up with a show of fancy clothes, typical of mourning Nigerians, they looked angelic and sprightly.

Besides, the styles of the dresses were as captivating as they were provocative. Some young girls sewed theirs in miniskirts and spaghetti tops, baring seductive busts and legs. Even among those whose dresses covered their bodies, you couldn't take away the high taste of the finishing. With lipstick-coated lips, confident facades, most of the young girls among the flock were simply alluring. Some onlookers were busy leering at the beautiful among the flock that they almost forgot what had come for.

Edwin Okenze, an okadaman who abandoned his job to witness the day's drama, couldn't hide his feeling "Are these girls going to a fashion parade or what?" But that was before he saw another group of five CPA ladies dressed in the height of fash­ion. While two of them wore transparent Silky gowns, the other three were clothed in ritzy black suits, with mascaras edifying their eye lashes, swaying their hips as they sashayed across the court premises as though the pendulum of the impending court proceedings would be in their favour.

With such alluring beauties, even an eunuch could not resist the temptation to cast few surreptitious glances. Unlike others in uniform outside the court premises, these five ladies entered inside the court premises. Somebody described them as "the chosen ones among the many."

While many onlookers were enthralled with the bevy of beauties on parade by CPA, it wasn't the same with the horde of men with jutting beards. The long beards came in different strands. While some were twisted, some were disheveled and unkempt. Some others evoked the aura of the Biblical Elijah and Methuselah with their thick contortions.

Somebody among the crowd whispered that if anybody wants to warm himself into the heart of Reverend King, that person has to, among others, grow his beards like a Mullah .This group added a mystique to their countenance with unsmiling visages as they tried to shepherd the rest into a zombified orderliness.

Mr. Ambrose Oyeniyi wasn't impressed by their militant facade. He said, "When you look at these men with their long beards, it shows they are not genuine children of God. Where is it written in the Bible that Christians should be growing long beards like Osama and his men?"

A mild drama ensued in front of the court the moment Reverend King entered the court premises at 9. 28 a.m. On seeing him in handcuffs, some of his disciples bowed their heads in awe, some genuflected in reverence, others knelt on the ground clad in black suits, he looked quite composed and much younger than the image we see on billboards. More dramas were about to unfold at 9.30 a.m.

A plethora pro-King disciples blocked the entrance of the court premises with placard chanting in solidarity.