Residents react to Maryam Sanda’s judgement

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the conviction of Maryam Sanda for stabbing her husband. Some Federal Capital Territory (FCT) residents said the judgement could psychologically affect her two children. The nursing mother was pregnant with a baby, which was delivered while standing trial for the murder of her husband. While some residents described the […]

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the conviction of Maryam Sanda for stabbing her husband. Some Federal Capital Territory (FCT) residents said the judgement could psychologically affect her two children. The nursing mother was pregnant with a baby, which was delivered while standing trial for the murder of her husband.

While some residents described the judgement as ‘the best punishment’ for the crime others said the judgement was harsh.

Mrs Toyo David said though she was guilty, the death penalty was not the best punishment, “considering the fact that they had children. The death of both parents will have a psychological effect on the children.

“However, the law must take its course but a smaller punishment would have been better. Killing her will not bring her husband back.”

She said the convict could have been a victim of domestic violence and gave in to her anger instead of walking away from the marriage.

“I pray that the appeal favours her and she gets a lesser punishment,” she said.

Another resident, Mr Abdusalaam Muhammad said the punishment will serve as deterrent to other couples, adding that nobody has the right to take another person’s life.

“How do you tell a child that your mother, who loved your father and got married to him, stabbed him to death? Then the mother got killed by hanging because of this, it will leave a lasting torture on the mind of the child,” Fatima Muhammad said.

James Ododo, another resident said the judgement was fair, “but because of the child she is nursing she should have been given a lesser judgement but it will serve as a deterrent to other women against future occurrence,” he said.

Mrs Victoria Jatto said a lesser punishment would have been better as it would “leave Maryam with her conscience, for the sake of her children because sentencing her to death is double murder.”