Supreme Court voids Tinubu’s clemency, restores death sentence for Maryam Sanda

The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the death sentence earlier handed to Maryam Sanda for the murder of her husband, Bilyamin Bello, setting aside the presidential clemency that had reduced her punishment to 12 years’ imprisonment.

Sanda, the daughter-in-law of a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was convicted by an Abuja High Court in January 2020 after it found her guilty of stabbing Bello to death at their Maitama residence in November 2017. The court ruled that the prosecution had established the case of culpable homicide beyond reasonable doubt.

She remained in custody at the Suleja Correctional Centre for more than six years before President Bola Tinubu granted her a pardon earlier this year, citing humanitarian reasons and concerns for her children. The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had defended the decision, describing Sanda’s behaviour in custody as exemplary and remorseful.

But in a 4–1 split verdict, a five-man panel of the Supreme Court quashed the clemency and upheld the original punishment of death by hanging. The apex court ruled that the presidential intervention was improper since Sanda’s appeal against the conviction was still active at the time it was issued.

Reading the lead judgment, Justice Moore Adumein held that both the trial court and the Court of Appeal reached sound and consistent findings based on the evidence presented. He said Sanda failed to demonstrate any miscarriage of justice or error in the decisions of the lower courts.

The ruling effectively restores the conviction and the death sentence, bringing an end to Sanda’s long-running legal battle.