As we may remember, Maryam Sanda was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging, for the murder of her husband – Bilyaminu Bello, in January 2020.
With overwhelming evidence and the corroboration of a violent streak by a friend of Bello’s — he witnessed a vicious marital spat the day of the killing — Maryam Sanda’s conviction appeared open and shut.
So why then, is word recently spreading, of a potential presidential pardon granted to her in the early weeks of April 2020?
Is Maryam Sanda A Free Woman?
A known member of Nigeria’s one percent — her father, a past executive director of Aso Savings Bank. It was widely believed that the Sanda family influence would again, have guaranteed her presence within a favoured number: the 70 inmates of the Medium Security Custodial Centre granted presidential pardon on April 9th.
But, as the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) confirmed on April 16th, Maryam Sanda was not granted a presidential pardon, and would, in fact, remain in custody.
The NCoS described the assumptions of Sanda’s pardon as: “fake, very unrealistic and an attempt to rubbish the good intention of the President towards decongesting the custodial centres.”
Maryam Sanda has appealed the judgement that saw her conviction and is awaiting the court’s determination of the matter.
