The family of the late Bilyaminu Bello has strongly condemned the presidential pardon granted to his wife, Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death for his murder.
In a statement on Monday, Dr Bello Mohammed, speaking on behalf of the family, described the decision by President Bola Tinubu to include Sanda among the 175 inmates recently pardoned under the Prerogative of Mercy as “the worst possible injustice any family could be made to go through.”
“To have Maryam Sanda walk the face of the earth again, free from any blemish for her heinous crime as if she had merely squashed an ant, is the worst possible injustice any family could be made to go through for a loved one,” the statement read in part.
The family said the decision had reopened painful wounds, noting that Sanda—who was convicted by the FCT High Court on January 27, 2020, for the premeditated murder of her husband—had shown no remorse throughout the trial.
They recalled that the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court had both upheld her conviction, and the family had found some closure after years of legal battles.
“Although the perpetrator had shown no remorse even for a fleeting moment, the grieving family took solace in the judgments and moved on. This latest turn of events… has, however, expectedly reopened our healing wounds,” the family said.
The Bellos accused the Federal Government of undermining the judicial process and disregarding the pain of victims’ families, arguing that the pardon was motivated by “a desire to appease Maryam’s family.”
“This decision was primarily driven by the motivation to appease her family while conveniently ignoring the inexorable pain inflicted on the victim’s loved ones,” the family added.
They also criticised the use of Sanda’s children as grounds for clemency, saying she had “deprived those same children of their father’s love and care.”
“Let’s not forget, Maryam had earlier denied the same children now used to elicit sympathy and secure her release the opportunity to know what a father’s love and care mean,” the family said.
Expressing deep hurt, the family stated that they would leave the matter to divine justice, saying:
“We take solace in the simple fact that in such matters, the ultimate justice resides purely with the Supreme Judge and our Creator, who will dispense this matter on the Day of Recompense.”
President Tinubu last week approved the release of 175 inmates serving various jail terms across the country. Among those granted clemency was Maryam Sanda, who was convicted in 2020 for stabbing her husband to death at their Abuja home on November 19, 2017.
