Supreme Court Nullifies Tinubu’s Pardon, Restores Death Sentence for Maryam Sanda

|By Chinwendu Nwani

The Supreme Court has set aside the presidential pardon granted to Abuja housewife, Maryam Sanda, reinstating the death sentence earlier imposed on her for the killing of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute.

Sanda was convicted in 2020 by an FCT High Court and sentenced to death by hanging. The Court of Appeal later affirmed the conviction, ruling that prosecutors had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.

President Bola Tinubu had recently commuted the sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment on compassionate grounds. However, in a split decision of four to one on Friday, the Supreme Court voided the clemency and upheld the original capital punishment.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Moore Adumein ruled that Sanda’s appeal lacked merit. He maintained that both the trial court and the Court of Appeal reached the correct conclusions based on the evidence presented.

With this judgment, the apex court has effectively restored the death sentence earlier issued against Sanda.