Maryam Sanda, convicted in 2020 for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, has been granted a presidential pardon by President Bola Tinubu after spending six years and eight months in prison.
The decision, announced in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, followed a formal plea from Sanda’s family, who cited the wellbeing of her two children, her remorse, and her exemplary conduct while in custody.
According to the presidency, Sanda’s release formed part of a larger clemency exercise, during which 175 individuals both Nigerian citizens and foreigners received various forms of mercy.
The statement described the action as one of the most extensive uses of presidential clemency powers in recent years, including posthumous pardons for notable figures such as Ken Saro-Wiwa and Major General Mamman Vatsa.
The clemency process was guided by the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
The presidency emphasized that Sanda’s pardon, while controversial, was grounded in legal provisions and humanitarian considerations.
Sanda was sentenced to death by hanging on January 27, 2020, after being found guilty of stabbing her husband to death at their Abuja residence.
Delivering the verdict, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court ruled that the evidence proved her culpability beyond reasonable doubt, adding that she must face the consequences of her actions.
Her legal team mounted an appeal, challenging the conviction on several grounds, but the Court of Appeal upheld the ruling in December 2020, with Justice Stephen Adah affirming that the circumstances of the case supported the original verdict.
The case, which drew significant public attention at the time, sparked widespread debate about domestic violence, justice, and the role of presidential mercy in high-profile convictions.
With her release, public discourse is once again reignited as many weigh justice against compassion, particularly in the context of her children’s welfare and the stated aim of rehabilitation.
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