The family of the late Bilyaminu Bello has condemned the presidential pardon granted to his wife, Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death for his murder, calling the move “an unbearable injustice.”
In a statement on Monday, Dr. Bello Mohammed, speaking on behalf of the family, said President Bola Tinubu’s decision to include Sanda among 175 inmates recently released under the Prerogative of Mercy had reopened “painful wounds that had barely healed.”
“To see Maryam Sanda walk free after committing such a heinous crime is the worst injustice any family could endure,” the statement read.
The family recalled that Sanda was convicted by the FCT High Court on January 27, 2020, for the premeditated murder of her husband. Her conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal on December 4, 2020, and later affirmed by the Supreme Court on October 27, 2023. They said the rulings had provided some closure, despite Sanda showing “no remorse at any point.”
“This latest development, coming only a few years after Bilyaminu’s brutal death, has reopened our wounds,” the family said.
They criticized the Federal Government for granting clemency, reportedly following appeals from Sanda’s family, arguing that the decision ignored the suffering of the victim’s loved ones.
“This pardon appears motivated by appeasing Maryam’s relatives while completely disregarding the pain inflicted on Bilyaminu’s family, friends, and associates,” the statement added.
The family further accused the government of undermining the judicial process and reducing Bilyaminu to “a faceless statistic” rather than acknowledging the gravity of his life and death.
They also highlighted the impact on Sanda’s children, who were deprived of their father’s care and love. “The grounds for Maryam Sanda’s release relied partly on appeals from her family, yet Bilyaminu was equally cherished, and his children were denied the opportunity to know their father’s love,” the family said.
Despite their anguish, the family expressed faith in divine justice, noting, “We take solace in knowing that ultimate justice lies with the Supreme Judge and our Creator, who will address this matter on the Day of Recompense.”
Maryam Sanda was among 175 inmates pardoned last week under the Prerogative of Mercy policy, which allows the President to grant clemency on humanitarian grounds. She was convicted in 2020 for fatally stabbing her husband at their Abuja home on November 19, 2017.
