The Digest:
The Supreme Court has overturned the presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda and restored her death sentence for the murder of her husband. According to the ruling, the pardon was improperly issued while her case was still under judicial review.
Key Points :
- Supreme Court reinstated the death sentence for Maryam Sanda in a 4–1 ruling
- Sanda was originally convicted and sentenced to death in 2020 for murdering her husband
- President Tinubu had commuted her sentence to 12 years on humanitarian grounds
- The court ruled the pardon unlawful as her appeal was still pending
- Justice Moore Adumein stated evidence firmly established her guilt beyond a doubt
- The judgment emphasized that the executive cannot interfere in ongoing homicide cases
- One justice dissented, though the minority opinion was not detailed
In the clash between mercy and the law, the Supreme Court has drawn a firm line: justice, once set in motion, cannot be halted by pardon until the final gavel falls. Here, the rule of law roots itself deeper than the power to forgive.
Sources: The Nation, Guardian
