The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the death sentence previously imposed on Maryam Sanda, the daughter-in-law of a former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman, for culpable homicide.
An Abuja High Court had, on January 27, 2020, ordered her execution by hanging after finding her guilty of fatally stabbing her husband, Bilyamin Bello, at their Abuja home in 2017.
Although she had spent nearly six years and eight months in Suleja prison, President Bola Tinubu, using his executive authority, reduced her overall sentence to 12 years.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, explained that she was included in the recent presidential pardon on “compassionate ground and in the best interest of the children,” adding that factors such as “good conduct, embraced new lifestyle, model to prisoners and remorsefulness” justified her clemency.
Meanwhile, in a 4–1 split decision, a five-justice panel of the Supreme Court on Friday reaffirmed the earlier order that she be executed by hanging.
The justices dismissed all the arguments she put forward to overturn her conviction and sentence, ruling that her appeal lacked merit.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Moore Adumein stated that the prosecution proved its case against her beyond reasonable doubt.
The court further ruled that the Court of Appeal’s affirmation of the trial court’s sentence was sound and could not be faulted.
It also declared that President Tinubu, as head of the executive branch, acted improperly by attempting to grant a pardon in a culpable homicide case while an appeal was still pending.
