The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the death sentence imposed on Maryam Sanda, daughter-in-law of a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, for culpable homicide.
Sanda was sentenced to death by hanging by an Abuja High Court on January 27, 2020, after she was found guilty of stabbing her husband, Bilyamin Bello, to death at their Abuja residence in 2017.
She had spent about six years and eight months in Suleja Prison before President Bola Tinubu reduced her sentence to 12 years on grounds of “compassion, good conduct, embracing a new lifestyle, serving as a model to other prisoners, and remorsefulness,” according to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
A five-member panel of Supreme Court justices, in a split judgment of four to one, dismissed her appeal and upheld the original sentence, ruling that the prosecution had proven her guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Moore Adumein noted that it was improper for the President to exercise his power of pardon in a culpable homicide case while an appeal was pending.
