By Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has fixed October 16, 2019, for Maryam Sanda, alleged husband killer, to open her defence.
Sanda was charged to court by the police with culpable homicide, punishable by death, for allegedly killing her husband, Bilyaminu Ahmed Bello, son of former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Haliru Bello.
She was arraigned along with her mother, Maimuna Aliyu; brother, Aliyu Sanda and housemaid, Sadiya Aminu.
The three accused were charged with concealment of evidence by cleaning the blood of the late Bilyaminu from the scene of the crime, were however discharged for the inability of the police to link them with the alleged crime.
The presiding judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court, sitting at Maitama, Abuja, had on April 4 ruled that Sanda had a case to answer in the culpable homicide case and subsequently ordered her to enter her defence.
The ruling followed the no-case submission filed by her counsel, Olusegun Jolaawo (SAN), and counsel for other defendants, Hussein Musa, after the prosecution closed its case.
In proving their case against the defendants, the police called six witnesses to testify, including the late Bilyaminu’s friends and a member of the police investigation team, which investigated the alleged crime.
In directing Sanda, who is the first defendant in the case, to enter her defence, the judge held that from the evidence of the prosecution witnesses, “a thick cloud seems to form around the case of the prosecution, making it impossible at this point of time for the other side not to be considered”.
“The submissions of no-case to answer as it were in this particular situation is overruled. I call on the first defendant, Maryam Sanda, to enter her defence with respect to the offence of culpable homicide, punishable by death,” Justice Halilu held.
It would be recalled that Justice Halilu had previously adjourned the case till May 6 and directed that it should be held on day by day trial unless otherwise directed by the court, but the case could not go on due to the absence of the judge, who was on election petition tribunal duties in Ogun State.
