14-year-old Nigerian child bride Wasilat Tasi’u on trial for murdering her 35-year-old husband Umar Sani by lacing his food with rat poison faces the death penalty. Witnesses on Wednesday told the High Court in Gezawa that she killed her husband just two weeks after their April wedding. It is alleged that three others also died after eating the poisoned meal.

The husband and guests were poisoned during post-wedding celebrations at the small town of Gezawa where the couple lived. The trial began with the testimony of a 7-year-old child, the sister deceased’s co-wife living under the same roof as the young bride and her husband, who said she had been given money to buy the poison on the same day the husband died. The shopkeeper also confirmed selling the poison to the girl. The young child said that the bride had complained that rats were disturbing her in her room.

The girl’s parents

A neighbor who survived after eating the meal said that he noticed the girl’s husband looking ill. Furthermore, the neighbor said that he noticed black sandy-like particles in the food.

Human rights activists have been enraged by the trial. They believe that the young girl forced to marry a man 21 years her senior is the real victim here.

The case questions the legality of trying a 14-year-old for murder, it spotlights the rights (or lack of rights) of child brides in the poverty-stricken Northern region of Nigeria.

The case has been adjourned to December 22.