BREAKING: Nigeria’s Appeal Court Upholds Maryam Sanda’s Death Sentence

The Court of Appeal in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Friday affirmed the death penalty imposed on Maryam Sanda, a mother of two, who was sentenced to death for the murder of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in November 2017.

Bilyaminu Bello is related to a former Chairman of Nigeria’s main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Haliru Bello.

Earlier in January, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, had in his judgment held that circumstantial evidence proved that Maryam “fatally” stabbed her husband to death in Abuja on November 19, 2017.

Maryam had on February 19, 2020, filed a 20-ground notice of appeal, praying for an order discharging, and acquitting her.

She argued that the judgment convicting her was tainted by bias and prejudices resulting in her being denied her right to fair hearing.