Timeline of Maryam Sanda”s bail applications

Maryam Sanda, accused by the police of killing her husband, Bilyamin Bello, has been granted bail by an FCT High Court in Jabi at the fifth time of asking. Daily Trust reports that at her first arraignment on November 24, 2017, her then lawyer, Husseini Musa, orally pleaded with the court to release her on bail pending […]

Maryam Sanda, accused by the police of killing her husband, Bilyamin Bello, has been granted bail by an FCT High Court in Jabi at the fifth time of asking.

Daily Trust reports that at her first arraignment on November 24, 2017, her then lawyer, Husseini Musa, orally pleaded with the court to release her on bail pending the determination of the case, but the court discountenanced the application.

On December 7, 2017, now represented by Joseph Daudu (SAN), the court again refused an oral application for her bail and ordered her to be returned to prison pending her re-arraignment on December 14. 

After her re-arraignment alongside her mother, brother and her house help on December 14, 2017, the court again refused and dismissed her bail but granted bail to her three co-defendants. 

In his ruling on this bail application, Justice Yusuf Halilu held that the medical report submitted with Maryam’s bail application, notwithstanding, there was nothing placed before the court to suggest that the ailment she was said to be suffering from was such that cannot be taken care of while in prison custody.

“I have seen from where I am that the 1st defendant (Maryam) has not exhibited any symptom of a life-threatening ailment. She appears very strong while standing in the dock,” he said.

On February 7 2018, the court again struck out another bail made on her behalf on the grounds that an appeal entered against the court’s December 14 ruling had not been properly discontinued at the appellate court before re-applying for bail before the trial court.

March 7 2018, Justice Halilu ruled that the court was satisfied with the health reasons canvassed for her. She was said to be over three months pregnant and also suffering from several health challenges. 

A copy of the medical report attached to the bail application cited by our reporter was signed by one Dr. Ogorochi N.M. for the Consultant-in-Charge of the National Hospital.

The report revealed that Maryam has a “history of stage three (3) asymptomatic, drug-non responsive severe hypertension" of which she has been treated on couple of occasions of hypertensive emergency.

“On observation during some of the visits to her while in custody together with her family members, the patient complained of frequent headache, palpitation, increased confusion, blurred vision and presented early edema on the legs, progressive chest pain,” the report said in part.

It was on the above that the Doctor recommended her “immediate release” for “detailed medical investigations of the already manifested symptoms and comprehensive medical treatment coupled with adequate home rest to avoid acute coronary, cerebral or renal ischemia which may result.”