The Supreme Court has quashed the appeal of Maryam Sanda who was sentenced to death for murdering her husband, thereby nullifying an earlier pardon by President Bola Tinubu.
Maryam’s death sentence which was earlier imposed on her for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, was reinstated.
Sanda was sentenced to death by hanging in 2020 by an FCT High Court, a judgment later affirmed by the Court of Appeal.
President Tinubu later reduced the sentence to 12 years’ imprisonment on humanitarian grounds.
In a 4–1 decision delivered on December 12, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed her final appeal and restored the original punishment.
Justice Moore Adumein, delivering the lead judgment, held that the evidence proving Sanda’s guilt was overwhelming and left “no room for doubt.”
He also faulted the presidential pardon as an improper use of executive power issued while her appeal was still pending.
One justice dissented, though details of the minority opinion were not disclosed.
Recall President Tinubu had revoked a full pardon after backlash towards his list of pardons.
