Maryam Sanda, the wife of Late Bilyaminu Bello has been sentenced to death by hanging by an FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, for killing her husband.

The court found Sanda guilty and thus convicted her of the charges. She is to be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre until she exhausts her appeal rights.

Earlier, the judge stood down the matter for five minutes following the drama that ensued after the conviction was passed, as Sanda fled the dock immediately the judge convicted her.

However, court officials and prisons officials dragged her back into the dock.

The judge was forced to rise after several women started wailing in the court room.

One of them who made attempt to approach Maryam was ordered to be taken away by the judge.

Justice Yusuf Halliru rose for 5 minutes to return for sentencing.

As at the time of filing this report, Maryam was still wailing and shouting “Inna liLlahi wa inna iLaihi raji’un”, while efforts are being made by her family and lawyer to console her. 

She was heard saying, “I was fasting and praying … Ya Allah, why?” as court officials announced that the judge was about to return for sentencing.

Maryam was tried before the court for allegedly killing Bello, her husband, who was a nephew of former PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bello Halliru Muhammad.

Maryam was docked alongside her mother, Maimuna Aliyu, a former Executive Director of Aso Savings and Loans; her brother, Aliyu Sanda and her housemaid, Sadiya Aminu, who were charged with assisting her to conceal the evidence by cleaning the blood of the deceased from the scene of the crime. They pleaded not guilty. They all filed no-case submissions after the police had called six witnesses to corroborate the charge.

The trial judge discharged others while he held that Maryam has a case to answer.