Remanded in prison custody
From: Godwin Tsa, Abuja
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Jabi, Abuja Friday remanded Maryam Sanda in the Suleja prison after she was arraigned on charges of culpable homicide.
She is accused of stabbing her husband, Bilyamin Bello, the son of a former chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to death on November 19.
The police said the offence of culpable homicide is punishable by death under Section 221 of the Penal Code Law.
Sanda is alleged to have stabbed the deceased in the chest with a broken bottle.
She was also accused of causing Bello “grievous hurt” by stabbing him on the neck, an act said to be contrary to Section 240 (g) and punishable under Section 247 of the Penal Code Law.
The incident was said to have taken place at about 3.50am on November 19, 2017 at their residence at 4, Pakali Close, Wuse Zone II, Abuja.
Although the nursing mother entered a plea of not guilty to the two counts read to her, Justice Yusuf Halilu remanded her in Suleja Prison, Niger State.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr. James Idachaba, told the court that the charges filed against her on November 20 were based on the preliminary investigation conducted by the police.
Idachaba said with the new facts that emerged after further investigation, the charges would still be amended.
The defence counsel, Mr. Oseni Musa, asked the court to grant the defendant bail.
He pleaded that since the defendant was nursing an infant of less than six months old, she should be remanded in police custody pending the determination of her bail application.
However, Justice Halilu directed that the defence should file a formal application in that regard.
He insisted that once an accused was arraigned, the proper place of custody was the prison and not the custody of the investigating agency.
The judge then ordered her to be remanded in Suleja prison and adjourned until December 7 for further hearing.