The Supreme Court has set aside the presidential pardon granted to Abuja housewife, Maryam Sanda, and reinstated her death sentence for the killing of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.
Sanda was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging in 2020 by an Abuja High Court after she was found guilty of stabbing Bello to death during a domestic dispute. The Court of Appeal later upheld the verdict.
President Bola Tinubu had commuted her sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment on compassionate grounds.
However, in a split decision of 4–1 delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that the President acted outside his powers, stressing that the case was still undergoing judicial review when the pardon was issued.
In the lead judgment, Justice Moore Adumein stated that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and that the appellate court was right to affirm the trial court’s decision.
He added that it was improper for the Executive to interfere in a matter where an appeal was yet to be concluded.
The apex court dismissed Sanda’s appeal, declaring it devoid of merit and reaffirming the death sentence imposed by the trial court.
