The Supreme Court has nullified the pardon granted by President Bola Tinubu to an Abuja-based house wife, Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death by hanging in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute.
Last 29 October, the President, who had initially granted Maryam pardon, revoked the order, but reduced the convict’s death sentence to 12 years imprisonment on compassionate ground. On the same day, President Tinubu ordered a review of the presidential pardon granted to at least 175 persons at the September 2025 National Council of State meeting, following nationwide outrage over the inclusion of individuals convicted of serious offences.
But in a judgement a on Friday, the Supreme Court, in a split decision of four-to-one, affirmed the death sentence by hanging handed Sanda by the Court of Appeal, Abuja which upheld the decision of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
The apex court resolved all the issues raised in the appeal filed by Sandra against her and dismissed the appeal for being without merit.
In the lead judgement, which he personally delivered, Justice Moore Adumein held that the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubt as required, adding that the Court of Appeal was right to have affirmed the judgement of the trial court.
