Maryam Sanda’s pardon revoked, death sentence reduced to 12 years imprisonment

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The death sentence of Maryam Sanda, the woman who was convicted for killing her husband in 2017, has been reduced to 12 years’ imprisonment. Her name appeared in the “reduced terms of imprisonment” and “sentence list” released by Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) on Wednesday. Sanda was among the 175 persons who received a presidential pardon and other forms of clemency from President Bola Tinubu following the approval of the national council of state on October 9 The presidency said Sanda’s family pleaded for her release in the best interest of her two children and that she showed good conduct in prison In January 2020, Sanda was sentenced to death by hanging by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. The judgment was later affirmed by the appeal court and supreme court. Her pardon sparked public outrage as the family of the late husband faulted the president’s decision. In the gazette list released on Wednesday, Sanda’s death sentence was reduced “based on compassionate grounds, in the best interest of the children and good conduct, embracing a new lifestyle, being a model prisoner, and remorsefulness.” Maryam’s name, which appears on number 86 of the list, was misspelled as “Maryam Sunda” instead of Maryam Sanda. According to the gazette list, Sanda has spent 6 years and 8 months in prison.