BREAKING: Supreme Court overrides Tinubu, affirms death sentence for Maryam Sanda

The Supreme Court has overturned the pardon granted by President Bola Tinubu to an Abuja-based housewife, Maryam Sanda.

Sanda was sentenced to death by hanging in 2020 over the death of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute.

However, President Tinubu recently reduced Sanda’s sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment on compassionate grounds, according to the presidency.

In a judgement delivered on Friday, the Supreme Court, in a four-to-one split decision, affirmed the death sentence originally handed down by the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

The Court of Appeal had previously upheld the decision of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, which sentenced her to death by hanging.

The Apex Court resolved all issues raised in the appeal Sanda filed and dismissed it as being without merit.

Justice Moore Adumein, delivering the lead judgment personally, held that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt as required, adding that the Court of Appeal was correct to affirm the trial court’s judgement.