Maryam Sandra Heads to Supreme Court After Upheld Death Sentence By A’Court

Following a recent report on Maryam Sandra’s death sentence affirmed by the Appeal Court in Abuja over the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in November 2017, Sandra will be heading to the Supreme Court for further and final appeal on the death sentenced imposed and affirmed by the ruling of the Court of Appeal .

Sandra had on November 19, 2017, stabbed her husband, who was a son of former PDP national chairman, Dr.Haliru Bello, to death, following an allegation of infidelity against him after reportedly seeing a text message on his phone.

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Arrested and arraigned in court by the police in January, 2020, Sandra was found guilty of murder by the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, and was sentenced to death by hanging.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Sandra in February, 2020, filled an appeal against the death sentence, as she asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to set aside the verdict and acquit her on grounds that Justice Yusuf Halilu who handed her the death sentence was “tainted by bias and prejudices”.

According to Maryam, she alleged that she was denied a fair hearing and was convicted on circumstantial evidence by the trial judge who reportedly failed to rule on her preliminary objection.

Meanwhile, a 3-man panel in a judgement delivered in the court on Friday, December 4, dismissed Maryam’s appeal on grounds that it lacked merit.

However, Maryam’s counsel, Joe Gadzama (SAN) , said that they are heading to the Supreme Court, while Police counsel, James Idachaba, praised the judgement and said that they are also ready to meet Maryam and her legal team at the apex court of Nigeria.