Maryam Sanda: Family of Man Killed By His Wife Speaks After Tinubu Granted Her Presidential Pardon
- Late Bilyaminu Bello’s family slams President Tinubu’s decision to pardon Maryam Sanda, calling it “the worst possible injustice"
- The family alleged the pardon was granted to appease Sanda’s relatives, saying it undermined Nigeria’s justice system
- The Bello family insised Sanda showed no remorse during trial and says her children are now being used to gain public sympathy
The family of the late Bilyaminu Bello has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s decision to grant a presidential pardon to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death for murdering her husband in 2017.
Recall that Sanda was convicted in 2020 for stabbing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, to death at their Abuja home on 19 November 2017.
Source: UGC
Her conviction was upheld by the appellate courts before she was among 175 inmates granted presidential clemency by President Bola Tinubu under the Prerogative of Mercy policy.
Family condemns pardon as “worst possible injustice”
Reacting to the action of the President, the family of the slain husband, in a statement issued on Monday, October 13, by Dr Bello Mohammed, on behalf of the family, they described the decision 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.
They said the decision to include Sanda among 175 inmates pardoned under the Prerogative of Mercy had reopened deep wounds that were just beginning to heal, Punch reported.
Family accuses government of disregarding justice
The family expressed disappointment that, despite a painstaking judicial process, the federal government chose to extend clemency to a “certified convicted murderer.”
“We interpret this decision as primarily driven by the sole motivation for appeasing Maryam’s family members by way of extending mercy to a convicted murderer, while conveniently ignoring the corresponding pain inflicted on the victim’s grieving family, friends, and associates,” the statement continued.
They said the move undermines the justice system and diminishes the memory of the deceased.
“We are compelled to issue this formal statement to humanise Bilyaminu, who is now being made to appear as if he is just another faceless victim in the long list of crimes in the country,” they added.
“She showed no remorse,” family insists
Recalling the events, the family noted that Sanda was convicted by the FCT High Court on 27 January 2020 and her conviction upheld by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
They stressed that throughout the trial, Sanda showed no remorse.
“Although the perpetrator had shown no remorse, the grieving family took solace in the judgments and moved on, having painfully come to terms with the fate that life had thrust upon one of our own,” the statement said.
Family says children used to seek sympathy
Reacting to claims that Sanda’s release was influenced by appeals from her family, the Bello family said she had deprived her own children of their father’s love and care,, Vanguard reported.
“The alleged grounds for Maryam Sanda’s release were predicated on appeals from her family.
“It is pertinent to stress that Bilyaminu was also our cherished family member who was profoundly loved. Maryam, let’s not forget, had earlier denied the same children now used to elicit sympathy and secure her release the opportunity to know what a father’s love means," he statement said.
Family finds solace in divine justice
Despite their pain, the family said they remain comforted by their faith.
“We take solace in the simple fact that in such matters, the ultimate comprehensive justice resides purely with the Supreme Judge and our Creator, who will dispense this matter on the Day of Recompense,” the statement concluded.
Atiku, ADC blast Tinubu over pardon for convicted drug traffickers
Previously, Legit.ng reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent decision to grant presidential pardon to many convicted criminals, including notorious drug traffickers.
They described the move as a grave moral failure that encourages lawlessness and weakens the justice system. Atiku, in a statement shared across his verified social media pages, said the development has provoked outrage nationwide.
Source: Legit.ng
