Kano state Government has filed a fresh charge of culpable homicide punishable by death against 14 year old child bride, Wasila Tasiu, who in April 2014 allegedly poisoned her 35 year old husband, Umar Sani and three of his friends in Kano, 17 days after she was forced to marry him. According to Vanguard, the fresh charge was filed following an outcry by judicial practitioners who were against a juvenile court handling the trial of the 14 year old girl.
The three page charge document which was signed by a Senior official of the Ministry of Justice on Behalf of the Kano state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice reads "Application to prefer a charge under Section 185(B) of the Criminal Procedure code Cap.105 Laws of Kano State 1991, signed on behalf of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice by a Senior State Counsel in the ministry, Lamido A Soron Dinki, lined seven prosecution witnesses. Continue...
“By the power conferred upon the Attorney General of Kano State of Nigeria under Section 211(1) (a) (b) and (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Section 7 of the Criminal Procedure Code Law Cap. 37 Laws of Kano State which delegate powers, I do hereby seek, under Criminal Procedure Code, to charge for trial of Wasila Tasiu”.
“That you, Wasila Tasiu, 14 years, of Yansoro village , Gaya Local Government Council, on or about the 5th day of April, 2014, at about 14:30 hours, at Yansoro village, Gaya within the Kano Judicial Division, did commit culpable homicide punishable with death in that you caused the death of four persons.
“Wasila Tasiu allegedly killed Umar Sani, 35, Hassan Alhassan, 25, Nasiru Muhammad, 13, and Indo Ibrahim, 12, by poisoning them with a rat killer substance in their food, with intention of causing their deaths and you hereby committed an offence under Section 221 (a) of the Penal Code Law of Kano State 1990, Cap 105.” it read
Documents of the fresh charge has been forwarded to Wasila's lawyers while hearing for the new charge is billed for August 4th at the Kano State High Court Gezewa.