Supreme Court Reinstates Death Sentence for Maryam Sanda, Overrules Presidential Clemency

By News Editor

Nigeria’s Supreme Court has overturned President Bola Tinubu’s decision to commute the death sentence of Maryam Sanda, who was convicted for the killing of her husband in 2020.

In a 4–1 ruling, the court held that the president exceeded his constitutional authority by granting clemency while Sanda’s appeal was still pending. The judgment reinstates the original death penalty imposed by lower courts and states that executive pardon powers cannot interfere with ongoing judicial processes.

This follows public controversy over the clemency list, which initially reduced Sanda’s sentence to 12 years on compassionate grounds.