Supreme Court rejects Tinubu’s pardon in the Sanda Case, affirming Maryam Sanda’s death sentence for killing her husband

The Supreme Court in Abuja on Friday affirmed the death sentence imposed on Abuja housewife Maryam Sanda, ruling that President Bola Tinubu’s earlier pardon reducing her punishment to a 12-year jail term had no legal effect while her appeal was still pending.

Also read: UK supreme court rejects P&ID appeal, upholds Nigeria’s £43m victory

The decision, delivered in a four-to-one split by a panel led by Justice Moore Adumein, restored the original capital sentence handed down by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory for the killing of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute.

Justice Adumein, who delivered the lead judgment, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that the Court of Appeal was right to uphold the conviction and sentence.

He described the evidence presented at trial as clear and compelling, noting that the appellate court properly affirmed the findings of the lower court.

The justice stated that it was improper for the Executive to exercise the power of clemency in a case of culpable homicide while judicial proceedings were ongoing.

He explained that the constitutional authority of the Executive does not extend to altering the outcome of criminal litigation still under active consideration by the courts.

President Tinubu had previously commuted Sanda’s sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment on compassionate grounds, citing humanitarian concerns.

However, the Supreme Court held that the prerogative of mercy cannot be deployed to override a subsisting appeal process or pre-empt the court’s final determination.

The ruling brings an authoritative end to a case that has drawn national attention since Sanda was first convicted in 2020.

The judgment underscores the Court’s view that due process must be allowed to run its full course and that attempts to intervene prematurely undermine the integrity of the justice system.