Nigeria: Why Child Bride Must Die for Culpable Homicide - Prosecutor

The prosecution counsel who is canvassing for a death penalty for the 14-year-old child-bride, Wasila Tasiu, over culpable homicide, on Monday told a Kano High Court in Gezawa that the suspect can't escape justice through the back door.

Thes counsel, Lamido Abba Soron Dinki's position came on the heels of a no-case submission by the defence counsel, Hussaina Aliyu Ibrahim, who urged the court to acquit and discharge the accused person.

Tasiu has been standing trial over the past 10 months for allegedly killing her husband and three others by applying rat poison in the food she served them. The prosecution lawyer told the court not to evaluate his evidence especially that the defence lawyers are yet to enter their defence.

The state counsel further argued that "the issue about the credibility of our witnesses does not even arise because the law said the testimony of our witnesses should only be treated on case value."

Abba Soron Dinki cited a Supreme Court judgement on Agbo versus the state in 2013 that "a no case submission should be determined within the narrow compass of the legally admissible evidence produced by the prosecution and should be based on a case value."

He submitted that the no-case submission can't stand on the case under review, adding that such step would pave the way for the accused persons to escape justice through the back door.

However, the court has reserved ruling for March 31 on whether Tasiu has a case to answer under the law.

The presiding Judge, Justice Muhammad Yahaya, in his ruling, said: "The court hereby fix March 31 for ruling on the application by the defence counsel on a no-case submission on behalf of Tasiu."