Maryam Sanda not granted amnesty – NCoS

The Nigerian Correctional Service has refuted speculations that a demise row inmate, Maryam Sanda, was granted presidential pardon last Thursday, alongside 70 different inmates of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje.

The NCoS stated Sanda did no longer meet the necessities for the pardon, noting that she used to be nevertheless in custody and “will stay as such.”

Sanda used to be convicted and sentenced to loss of life through a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in January, for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.

Justice Yusuf Halilu stated each and every reachable proof had proved that Sanda fatally stabbed her husband to loss of life in Abuja on November 19, 2017.

The NCoS spokesman, Deputy Controller of Corrections, Chuks Njoku, in a declaration in Abuja on Thursday, stated the condemned inmate did no longer match into any of the classes of inmates who certified for pardon as listed by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

The announcement defined that the classes for the amnesty include, convicts who are 60 years and above; these serving three years and above with much less than six months to serve; inmates with ill-health in all likelihood to terminate in death; inmates with intellectual ill-health and inmates with an alternative of fine no longer exceeding N50,000 with no pending case.

Others are convicted pregnant ladies and ladies with child, convicted inmates with minor offences and these who had spent 75 per cent of their sentence after remission.

Njoku stated, “It apparent that Maryam Sanda did no longer meet any of the above-mentioned necessities and therefore, did now not gain from the presidential pardon. We in addition choose to guarantee the public that Maryam Sanda is in our custody and will continue to be as such.

“The Controller General of Corrections, Ja’afaru Ahmed, advises the public to discountenance the hearsay that Sanda benefited from the presidential pardon.”