Husband killing: Court decides on Maryam Sanda today

A no-case submission literally means an application by the defendant submitting that the prosecution had not led enough evidence to warrant for conviction or for the defendant (s) to defend herself. If the application succeeds, the defendant (s) will be discharged and acquitted. However, if it fails, the defendant (s) will be ordered to open her defence. Maryam is being tried before the court presided over by Justice Yusuf Halilu for allegedly killing Bello, a nephew of former PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bello Halliru Muhammad. She was docked alongside her brother, Aliyu Sanda; her mother, Maimuna Aliyu 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. Police had subsequently called six witnesses to corroborate the charge. At the last hearing yesterday, Maryam had through her counsel, Olusegun Jolaawo, told the court that the prosecution had not made a prima facie case against her to warrant her to defend herself. She then urged the court to uphold the no case submission and discharge her of the murder charge. Also, counsel for the three other defendant, Hussein Musa, in his submission urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants because the prosecution did not adduce enough evidence to warrant them to enter defence. However, the prosecution counsel, Fidelis Ogbobe, while urging the court to dismiss the no-case submission, submitted that the prosecution had made out enough evidence to warrant the defendants to enter defence in the case. He said there is enough evidence that linked the defendants to the crime, and as such, they have to make their defence to the charge.]]>