Just In: Tinubu Withdraws Pardon Granted Maryam Sanda, Others
•By Admin
ABUJA – PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, withdrew the presidential pardon granted to Mrs Maryam Samda, who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, the son of a former PDP National Chairman, Haliru Bello.
Ms Sanda, was convicted in 2020 by the Federal Capital Territory High Court for culpable homicide.
However, her pardon last two weeks alongside some other inmates in various prisons in Nigeria for offences ranging from murder, kidnapping, drug and human trafficking, armed robbery, fraud etc, elicitated wide spread outrage all over the country.
Against the backlash of the Presidential clemency granted to Maryam Sanda and some convicts who committed serious offences, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), later clarified that the list of those pardoned were under review subject to the final approval of President Tinubu.
However, in a statement on Wednesday, the AGF disclosed that the
Presidential Prerogative of Mercy Exercise has been concluded with Issuance of Instruments of Release.
“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice wishes to announce the formal conclusion of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy exercise with the President’s issuance of instruments granting pardon, clemency, and reduced sentences”, the statement said.
Following consultations with the Council of State, Fagbemi said the President received concerns on the recommended list and consequently initiated a due process review.
“This exercise has been completed and approved by the President. This exercise was to ensure that only persons who met stipulated legal and procedural requirements would benefit from the prerogative of mercy.
“During this final review, few persons earlier recommended were found not to have met the necessary requirements and were accordingly delisted, while in some other cases, sentences were reviewed and reduced to reflect fairness, justice, and the spirit of the exercise” the AGF stated.
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