Family of Slain Bilyaminu Bello Condemns Presidential Pardon for Convicted Wife
The family of the late Bilyaminu Bello has strongly denounced the presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death for his murder in 2017. In a statement issued on Monday, the family described the decision as “the worst possible injustice any family could be made to go through,” expressing profound dismay at President Bola Tinubu’s inclusion of Sanda among the 175 inmates recently pardoned under the Prerogative of Mercy policy.
Dr. Bello Mohammed, speaking on behalf of the family, said the pardon reopened “painful wounds that had barely healed.” Sanda was convicted by the FCT High Court on January 27, 2020, for the premeditated murder of her husband, with the judgment upheld by the Court of Appeal on December 4, 2020, and affirmed by the Supreme Court on October 27, 2023. The family noted that Sanda showed “no remorse even for a fleeting moment” throughout the judicial process, and they had found some closure in the courts’ rulings.
The statement criticized the government’s decision to grant clemency, allegedly following appeals from Sanda’s family, as prioritizing her family’s interests while disregarding the pain inflicted on Bello’s loved ones. “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,” the family said.
The family accused the government of undermining the judicial process and dehumanizing Bilyaminu, reducing him to “just another faceless anonymous individual” among crime victims. They also highlighted that Sanda’s actions deprived her own children of their father’s love, challenging the grounds for her pardon, which reportedly included humanitarian considerations for her family.
“Bilyaminu was a cherished family member, profoundly loved and deeply mourned,” the statement read, emphasizing the enduring grief of his relatives, friends, and associates. The family expressed deep hurt, interpreting the pardon as an attempt to appease Sanda’s family while ignoring the “inexorable pain” inflicted on Bello’s.
Taking solace in their faith, the family concluded, “The ultimate comprehensive justice resides purely with the Supreme Judge and our Creator, who will dispense this matter on the Day of Recompense.”
President Tinubu approved the release of 175 inmates last week under the Prerogative of Mercy policy, which allows clemency on humanitarian grounds. Sanda, convicted of stabbing Bello to death at their Abuja home on November 19, 2017, was among those pardoned, sparking outrage from the victim’s family.
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