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A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and one other senior lawyer, have picked hole on the presidential pardon granted Mariam Sanda who was accused of killing her husband.
Sanda, daughter-in-law of a former PDP national chairman, was sentenced to death by hanging by an Abuja High Court on January 27, 2020. Her conviction was later challenged at the Court of Appeal which upheld the death sentence. She then appealed to the Supreme Court where the case was pending while she remained in prison.
But a five-member panel of the Supreme Court on Friday, December 12th 2025, delivered a 4–1 split decision, dismissing Sanda’s appeal and reinstating the original death sentence.
In the lead judgment authored by Justice Moore Adumein, the court held that the prosecution proved the charge of culpable homicide beyond reasonable doubt and that both the trial court’s verdict and the Court of Appeal’s affirmation were legally sound.
Reacting to the ruling, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who didn’t want to be mentioned because of the sensitive position he occupies in government said President Tinubu was wrong to have granted pardon to Mariam Sanda when the case was pending in court, adding that you cannot put something on nothing.
He said it was presumptuous for the president to grant pardon while the case was before the Supreme Court and blamed the Attorney of the Federation and Minister of Justice for not drawing the attention of the President to the vital information.
“The question to ask here is, what would have happened if the Supreme Court had acquitted the accused? You cannot grant pardon to someone who has not been found guilty since the case had not been concluded,” he said.
Also reacting, Barrister Max Ozoaka, Principal Partner at Excellence Chambers, Abuja, said although a Presidential pardon is superior to all court decisions, a case still undergoing judicial review, in form of appeal cannot be stopped in the name of clemency, stressing that the executive cannot override a subsisting court process.
It would be recalled that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had earlier defended Sanda’s inclusion in the presidential pardon list, describing the decision as “compassionate” and “in the best interest of the children.” He listed her “good conduct, remorsefulness, and positive influence on other inmates” as factors that warranted leniency.
But the Supreme Court rejected all issues raised in Sanda’s appeal and declared that her conviction was valid and properly grounded in law.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Thursday, deliver judgments in two cases involving the leadership crises rocking the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to information on the official website of the court, the matters, listed under “Political Appeals”, have been added to the cause list for Thursday, April 30, 2026.
While judgment in the ADC matter, marked SC/CV/180/2026, has been fixed for 2 pm, there is no time yet for that if the PDP.
President Bola Tinubu has written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of fifteen nominees to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The letter was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The letter seeks the reconstitution of the commission’s board in line with statutory provisions with the list comprising nominees from diverse professional backgrounds, including the media and legal sectors.
Among the nominees are the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba; and Dr. Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman, who has been proposed as chairman of the board.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) is to retain his position as the Chief Executive Officer.
Other nominees include Mrs Roseline Tasha, Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku, ACG Felix Lawrence, Mr. Edmund Chinonye, Mr. Chinonye Obiaku (SAN), Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo, Professor Adedeji Ogunji, Kingsley Chidozie, Mohammed Adelodu, Maupe Ogun Yusuf, and Otunba Francis Meshioye as members.
Also nominated are Patience Patrick and Hawwa Ibrahim, listed as members.
The President said the nominations were made pursuant to Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010, which empowers him to constitute the board subject to Senate confirmation.
He explained that the reconstitution of the board was necessary to enhance the commission’s institutional capacity and enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate to promote and protect human rights across the country.
If confirmed, the new board is expected to play a critical role in reinforcing the NHRC’s oversight functions, particularly at a time of heightened concerns over rights protection and accountability in Nigeria.
Following the presentation of the request, the Senate referred the nominations to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for screening and report within two weeks.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has revealed that it investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.
According to him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.
“We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account. Dollars, pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.
“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.
“So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC boss said he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.
He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing.
“So he came to my office. He told me what happens and all of that, and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people, and all of that.
“I said, you know what, I didn’t call you here to explain to me. We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you,” he stated.
The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation.
He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.
The EFCC chairman, however, stated that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption.
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