In a major judicial pronouncement, the Supreme Court of Nigeria on Friday nullified the presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, thereby reinstating her original death sentence for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. The apex court’s split verdict effectively set aside the earlier commutation by President Bola Tinubu, which had reduced her sentence to 12 years on compassionate grounds.
Sanda was initially convicted in 2020 and sentenced to death by hanging by a Federal Capital Territory High Court, a judgment previously upheld by the Court of Appeal. The subsequent clemency, citing her conduct and the welfare of her children, had ignited widespread national debate and severe criticism that it undermined confidence in Nigeria’s justice system.
The Supreme Court ruled that the pardon should not have been applied while Sanda’s appeal against her conviction was still pending before the court. The panel dismissed the appeal as lacking merit, holding that the prosecution proved its case of homicide beyond reasonable doubt.
This landmark decision by the highest court in the land confirms that the 2020 trial court judgment stands. The ruling marks the final stage of judicial review in a highly publicized case, ensuring that the original sentence for the brutal killing of Bilyaminu Bello is upheld.
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