Police prosecution counsel has urged the Court of Appeal to uphold the court judgement sentencing Maryam Sanda to death by hanging for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.
Ms Sanda was accused of killing her husband on November 19, 2017 through multiple stabbing, and was arraigned by the Nigerian Police along with three other persons.
On January 27, the Federal Capital Territory High Court had found her guilty of the charges brought against her and was sentenced to death by hanging.
Dissatisfied by the judgement, Ms Sanda had approached the Court of Appeal to set aside the verdict of the High Court, accusing the trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, of being “tainted by bias and prejudices”.
In its brief of argument filed in response to the appeal filed by Ms Sanda’s legal team led by Joe Kyari Gadzama (SAN), the police counsel, James Idachaba, submitted that the trial court was right in finding Ms Sanda guilty of willfully killing her husband in cold blood.
According to Mr Idachaba, the trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, properly evaluated the evidence before him in reaching the decision to find Ms Sanda guilty and impose the punishment as provided by statute.
He argued that to set aside the decision of the trial court would amount to giving an incentive to an angry and unhappy spouse to take the life of their partner at will.
Mr Idachaba said the judgment was meant to serve as a deterrent to others who wish to commit the crime of culpable homicide, adding that a reversal of the judgment of the trial court would surely defeat the purpose of the law.
He said Ms Sanda was guilty of taking her husband’s life and, therefore, deserving of the death penalty imposed on her.
He described Ms Sanda’s appeal as baseless, frivolous and lacking in merit, praying the Court of Appeal to dismiss it with a cost.
