S’Court Restores Death Sentence for Maryam Sanda, Invalidates Tinubu’s Pardon

The Supreme Court on Friday reinstated the death sentence earlier handed to Maryam Sanda for the killing of her husband, Bilyamin Bello, overturning the presidential clemency granted to her by President Bola Tinubu.

In a landmark judgment delivered by a five-member panel, the apex court, in a split decision of four to one, dismissed Sanda’s appeal and affirmed the rulings of both the trial court and the Court of Appeal.

Justice Moore Adumein, who delivered the lead judgment, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that Sanda failed to demonstrate any error in the concurrent findings of the lower courts. He noted that the evidence presented during trial sufficiently established that she fatally stabbed Bello at their Maitama residence in 2017.

Sanda was convicted by an Abuja High Court on January 27, 2020, and sentenced to death by hanging. She had already spent about six years and eight months at the Suleja Correctional Centre before President Tinubu granted her clemency, commuting the death sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had defended the presidential pardon, citing compassionate grounds, the welfare of her children, and her commendable conduct in custody.

However, the Supreme Court ruled that the Executive acted inappropriately by granting clemency while the matter was still under judicial consideration. The court emphasized that interference in a homicide case pending appeal undermines the administration of justice.

With Friday’s decision, the original death sentence imposed by the trial court has been fully restored and now stands.