Maryam Sanda sentenced to death by hanging for killing husband

Bilyamin Bello son of former PDP chairman and wife Maryam Sanda who allegedly stabbed him to death

An FCT High Court has sentenced Maryam Sanda to death by hanging for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.

Bello, a nephew of former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Haliru Bello, was killed on November 18, 2017.

Justice Yusuf Halilu on Monday convicted Sanda on circumstantial evidence.

Police said the killing was premeditated and accused Maimuna Aliyu, Sanda’s mother; Aliyu, her brother; and Sadiya Aminu, her housemaid; of tampering with evidence by cleaning the blood and other proofs from the crime scene, but charges were later dropped.

Sanda, the mother of two, her mother and her other relatives broke down in tears immediately the judge pronounced her guilty.

Her mother, who was occupying a back seat, sped out of the court as she wept.

The teary Sanda also rushed out of the courtroom but the judge ordered that she should be brought back to the courtroom.

The defence lawyer attempted to make a plea for allocutus (plea for mercy) which was rejected by the judge.