Presidential pardon: Why Maryam Sanda, 85 others had their sentences reduced – AGF

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has clarified why President Bola Tinubu recently reviewed the list of 175 convicts initially considered for presidential pardon.

Speaking on Wednesday, Fagbemi explained that the review aimed to ensure that only individuals who met the required legal and procedural criteria would benefit from the federal government’s prerogative of mercy.

He added that the exercise has now been completed, with the President approving a final list of beneficiaries. The review underscores the administration’s commitment to a transparent and lawful exercise of presidential clemency powers.

READ ALSO: Tinubu bows to pressure, revokes Maryam Sanda’s presidential pardon

“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 added in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen.

Meanwhile, the final list, a copy of which was obtained by Vanguard, revealed that among the 86 persons whose sentences were reduced by President Tinubu, included Maryam Sanda, the daughter inlaw of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who was facing the capital punishment for culpable homicide.

An Abuja high court had on January 27, 2020, sentenced Maryam to death by hanging after she was found guilty of stabbing her husband, Bilyamin Bello, to death at their Abuja residence in 2017.

Though she has been at the Suleja prison for six years and eight months, with the presidential pardon, FG reduced her total sentence to 12 years, “based on compassionate ground, in the best interest of the children, good conduct, embraced new lifestyle, model to prisoners and remorsefulness.”

Also in the list included one Chukwukelu Sunday Calistus, whose life imprisonment for drug related offences was reduced to 20 years after he had spent 11 years in prison.

Yusuf Owolabi, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2015 for manslaughter, also had his punishment reduced to 15 years after he had served for 10 years, while Ifeanyi Eze who was facing a similar punishment over the same offence, also got his sentence reduced to 15 years after his four years stay in prison.

Another convict that was facing life imprisonment for armed robbery and possession of illegal firearm, Mallam Ibrahim Sulaiman, was okayed to stay in prison for only 15 years having already served for two years.

Other beneficiaries included one Samson Ajayi who bagged 15-year jail term in 2022.

His sentence was reduced to 10 years, while Alhaji Abubakar Tanko had his 30 years sentence for culpable homicide reduced to 20 years after he had served for seven years.

One Nnamdi Anene who was convicted in 2010 and sentenced to life imprisonment for illegal dealing of arms, was pardoned to serve only 20 years.

Other convicts on the list were sentenced for lesser offences that included unlawful mining, conspiracy to hijack fishing vessel, forgery, obtaining by false pretence, possession of cannabis, fraud, and criminal breach of trust.

The beneficiaries were said to have been remorseful, of good conduct in the prison, acquired vocational skills, or improved their education.

Similarly, in three other separate lists, FG disclosed that whereas 15 persons were granted clemency, 15 others that included Saro Wiwa and Herbert Macaulay, were listed as those that got pardoned, while four others had their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment.

Announcing the formal conclusion of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy exercise, the AGF said the review underscored President Tinubu’s desire “to balance justice with compassion and the belief that justice must not only punish, but also reform and redeem.”

He said: “The review was undertaken with meticulous commitment to due process to reinforce the administration’s broader commitment to justice reform and humane correctional practices in line with international standards.

“To ensure that future exercises meet public expectations and best practices, the President has directed the immediate relocation of the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice.

“The President has further directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to issue appropriate Guidelines for the Exercise of the Power of Prerogative of Mercy, which includes compulsory consultation with relevant prosecuting agencies.

“This will ensure that only persons who fully meet the stipulated legal and procedural requirements will henceforth benefit from the issuance of instruments of release.

“I commend the public for their patience and constructive engagement throughout the process, and assure Nigerians that the government remains steadfast in promoting a justice system that upholds human dignity while safeguarding national security and social order,” the AGF’s statement further read.