Court Refuses Maryam Sanda’s Second Bail Application

The Federal Capital Territory High Court has refused an application for bail brought by Maryam Sanda, the daughter-in-law of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Haliru Bello.

Sanda is facing a two-count charge of homicide for the alleged murder of her husband, Bilyamin Bello. The deceased was the son of a former chairman of Haliru Bello.

The court presided by Justice Yusuf Halilu refused the application because the defence counsel is preparing an appeal, intended to challenge the court’s initial denial of bail to Sanda in December.

The counsel to Sanda, Joseph Daudu, defended his decision to file the new application for bail.

According to Daudu, nothing concerning the appeal at the higher court will affect the second request for bail.

He also said the application at the appellate court was totally different from the new motion for bail and should not be considered the same or as an abuse of court process.

Daudu according to Premium Times, also said his client had abandoned the appeal filed before the higher court.

“The appeal is an abandoned lifeless appeal and therefore cannot constitute an abuse of process,” he said.

The prosecution counsel, James Idachaba, however disagreed with the defence.

Idachaba said the motion at the Appeal Court carries the same date as that on the new application for bail.

He, therefore, asked the court to consider the filing of the separate applications, bothering on a single subject, as an abuse of court process.