A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting at Maitama on Monday fixed January 27, 2020 for judgment in a case of alleged culpable homicide against Maryam Sanda. Mrs Sanda allegedly killed her husband, Bilyamin Bello, over allegations of infidelity. Mr Bello was the nephew of Haliru Bello, a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Justice Yusuf Halilu fixed January 27, 2020 for judgment after listening to the submissions of all the counsels in the matter in their adoption of final written addresses. Mrs Sanda was arraigned by the police in 2017 on a one count charge of culpable homicide. She was arraigned alongside Aliyu Sanda, her brother; Maimuna Aliyu, her mother and Sadiya Aminu, her housemaid. However, Justice Yusuf Halilu discharged her co-defendants after they filed a “no case submission.” Adopting their final written address on Monday, Fidelis Ogbobe, the prosecuting counsel submitted that the prosecution had proved the allegations levelled against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt. Mr Ogbobe said that they had established that Mrs Sanda caused the death of her husband by stabbing him. He urged the court therefore to “convict the defendant and sentence her accordingly.” Regina Okotie-Eboh, Mrs Sanda’s lawyer in their adoption argued that the prosecution failed to tender evidence to corroborate the allegations. Mrs Okotie-Eboh submitted that the prosecution did not call nurses or doctors from the hospital where the deceased was taken to as witnesses. She added that they failed to tender the knife with which the defendant allegedly used to perpetrate the act and no autopsy was carried out to ascertain the actual cause of death. “The court only decides on a matter based on the evidence before it and not suspicions,” Mrs Okotie-Eboh stated. She, therefore, urged the court to discharge and acquit Sanda. NAN
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