Court Denies Maryam Sanda Bail, Grants Bail To Mother, Two Others Implicated In Murder

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Thursday refused to grant bail to Maryam Sanda, who is being charged with killing her husband, Bilyamin Bello, and ordered her to remain in custody until February 6, 2018.

The late Mr. Bello was the son of a former Peoples Democratic Party Chairman, Haliru Bello.

Ms. Sanda’s defense counsel, Joseph Dawodu, had argued that his client needed to receive medical treatment and therefore requested bail.

Justice Halilu Yusuf, however, ruled that Ms. Sanda could be treated for her illness at the medical facilities within the prison and therefore denied her bail.

He added that there was not enough evidence to suggest that Ms. Sanda was ill and that she did not exhibit any symptoms of illness while she was on the dock.

The court granted bail to Ms. Sanda’s mother, Maimuna Aliyu, and two others who were alleged to have been accomplices in Mr. Bello’s murder.

Mrs. Aliyu, the executive director of Aso Savings and Loans, had earlier been charged with corruption in a separate case.

The judge ordered the second and third defendants to submit their international passports and produce two sureties, each of whom must reside in Abuja and have a plot of land within the FCT.

The matter was adjourned to February 6-8, 2018 for the commencement of the trial.