The Supreme Court has affirmed the death sentence handed to Maryam Sanda, bringing to an end her lengthy legal battle against her conviction for the killing of her husband, Bilyamin Bello, in 2017.
In a 4–1 split decision, a five-member panel of the apex court dismissed Sanda’s appeal, ruling that she failed to provide any substantial grounds to overturn the judgment of the trial court or the Court of Appeal.
The justices held that the prosecution had successfully proven the charge of culpable homicide beyond reasonable doubt.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Moore Adumein stated that the findings of both lower courts were sound and required no interference.
According to the Supreme Court, the evidence presented during trial clearly established Sanda’s responsibility for her husband’s fatal stabbing during a domestic dispute at their Abuja residence.
The judgment also addressed President Bola Tinubu’s earlier decision to grant Sanda clemency.
The court ruled that the President’s attempt to exercise prerogative powers while the case was still before the judiciary was inappropriate, particularly in a matter involving a capital offence.
President Tinubu had, in October, commuted Sanda’s death sentence to a 12-year jail term, citing humanitarian considerations.
At that time, Sanda had already spent approximately six years and eight months at the Suleja Correctional Facility.
Sanda was originally sentenced to death by an Abuja High Court on January 27, 2020.
The conviction followed a high-profile trial that captivated national attention, with the court concluding that she fatally stabbed her husband during an altercation.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), later explained that her inclusion in the presidential pardon list was based on compassionate grounds.
He highlighted factors such as her reported good conduct in custody, remorsefulness, and her perceived positive influence on fellow inmates.
Despite these considerations, the Supreme Court emphasized that constitutional boundaries must be respected, stressing that the executive cannot override judicial processes that are still active.
With the apex court’s ruling, the legal avenues open to Sanda have now been exhausted, leaving intact the original sentence passed by the trial court.
