The Supreme Court has overturned the pardon granted by President Bola Tinubu to Maryam Sanda, an Abuja-based housewife who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute.
President Tinubu had previously reduced Sanda’s sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment on compassionate grounds.
However, in a judgment delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court, in a 4-1 split decision, reinstated the death sentence originally handed down to Sanda by the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which had upheld the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court’s ruling.
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The Apex Court dismissed Sanda’s appeal, declaring it “without merit” and resolving all issues raised in her challenge.
In the lead judgment delivered personally, Justice Moore Adumein stated that the prosecution had proven the case “beyond reasonable doubt” and affirmed that the Court of Appeal was correct in upholding the trial court’s verdict.
Justice Adumein further held that it was inappropriate for the Executive to exercise its power of pardon in a case of culpable homicide while an appeal was still pending.
