Supreme Court Invalidates Tinubu’s Pardon for Maryam Sanda, Reinstates Death Sentence

The Supreme Court has reversed a compassionate pardon granted by President Bola Tinubu to Abuja resident Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of her husband.

Sanda was initially sentenced to death by hanging in 2020 by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for the killing of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute.

This verdict was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal, Abuja. However, President Tinubu later reduced Sanda’s sentence to 12 years imprisonment on compassionate grounds.

In a judgment delivered on Friday, December 13, the Supreme Court, through a split four-to-one decision, affirmed the original death sentence, effectively overturning the presidential pardon and reinstating the penalty of death by hanging.

The Apex Court resolved all the issues raised in the appeal she filed against her and dismissed the appeal for bein without merit.

Justice Moore Adumein held in the lead judgment, which he personally delivered, that the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubt as required, adding that the Court of Appeal was right to have affirmed the judgement of the trial court.

Adumein held that it was wrong for the Executive to seek to exercise its power of pardon over a case of culpable homicide, in respect of which an appeal was pending.