Supreme Court overturns Tinubu’s pardon, upholds death sentence for Maryam Sanda

The Supreme Court has overturned the pardon granted by President Bola Tinubu to Maryam Sanda, an Abuja-based housewife convicted for the death of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute.

Sanda was originally sentenced to death by hanging in 2020 by a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Court of Appeal later upheld the death sentence.

Recently, President Tinubu had reduced her sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment on compassionate grounds. However, in a 4-1 split decision delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court affirmed the death sentence, rejecting Sanda’s appeal as without merit.

Justice Moore Adumein, delivering the lead judgment, stated that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt, and the Court of Appeal was correct in affirming the trial court’s decision.

The apex court resolved all issues raised in Sanda’s appeal and reinstated the original sentence, effectively nullifying the presidential pardon.