Supreme Court Overrules Tinubu’s Pardon, Upholds Death Sentence for Maryam Sanda

The Supreme Court has overturned a presidential pardon granted to Abuja-based housewife Maryam Sanda, reinstating the death sentence for the 2020 killing of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.

Sanda had been sentenced to death by hanging by a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a ruling later upheld by the Court of Appeal, Abuja. In a recent act of clemency, President Bola Tinubu reduced her sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment, citing compassionate grounds.

However, in a four-to-one decision delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court reinstated the original death sentence. Justice Moore Adumein, delivering the lead judgment, ruled that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt and that the Court of Appeal was correct to affirm the trial court’s verdict.

The Apex Court also dismissed all issues raised in Sanda’s appeal as being without merit, reinforcing the principle that the legal process and judicial findings in capital cases must be respected.

This ruling marks a significant assertion of judicial authority over executive clemency, signaling that presidential pardons can be subject to review in cases where due legal procedures and evidence are deemed conclusive.