The Supreme Court has set aside the presidential pardon earlier granted by President Bola Tinubu to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted in 2020 and sentenced to death by hanging for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute in Abuja.
President Tinubu had commuted her death sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment on compassionate grounds.
However, in a landmark judgment delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court—by a split decision of four to one—upheld the original death sentence issued by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory and affirmed by the Court of Appeal.
The apex court dismissed Sanda’s appeal in its entirety, ruling that it lacked merit.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Moore Adumein held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, and the Court of Appeal was correct in affirming the trial court’s decision.
Justice Adumein further stated that it was improper for the Executive to exercise the power of pardon in a culpable homicide case while the matter was still pending on appeal.
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