- In a new twist, Maimuna Aliyu, a former executive director of Aso Savings and Loans, her son Aliyu Sanda, and another lady have been charged alongside Maryam Sanda for the murder of Bilyamin Bello
- Maryam Sanda was alleged to have stabbed his husband, Bilyamin Bello, to death in the chest and other parts of the body with a knife
- The former executive director and two others were alleged to have helped Maryam conceal evidences in the death of Bello
Following the alleged murder of Bilyamin Bello, son of the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Bello Halliru Mohammed by his wife, Maryam Sanda, the police have amended the murder charges instituted against Sanda.
The police in the amended charges filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Jabi, added Hajiya Maimuna Aliyu, mother of the accused and a former executive director of Aso Savings and Loans, and two others to the list of defendants.
While informing the trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, of the new development on Thursday, December 7.
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Daily Trust reports that in count one of the amended charge, the police alleged that Maryam had caused the death of her husband, Bilyamin Bello, “by stabbing him on the chest and other parts of the body with a knife and other dangerous weapons which eventually led to his death”.
The second count charge states that her mother Maimuna, her brother Aliyu, as well as one Sadiya Aminu, with the knowledge that a murder has been committed, “cause evidence of the offence to disappear.”
The police alleged that the trio cleaned the blood from the crime scene with the intention of screening Maryam from legal punishment.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr James Idachaba however informed the trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu that the prosecution had not been able to serve the new defendants.
The trial judge, therefore, said it was necessary to wait for the prosecution to bring the other defendants before further action could be taken on the matter.
Halilu said: “I have listened to the defendant counsel, I will not grant her bail, all arguments about her bail application shall be taken together on Thursday, December 14 when all other co-defendants will be brought to court.
“We must be very tidy, I am a judge with principle, the prosecution has enough time to encourage the sureties to look for other defendants; this is an amendment charge’ you must make extra effort to get other defendants arraigned before me.
“In the meantime, the defendant should be taken back to Suleja prison.”
Earlier, Idachaba had told the court that all efforts to bring other co-defendants were not possible as their present location could not be ascertained.
He said it had been very difficult for the prosecution to serve the co-defendants and prayed the court to adjourn the matter to another day.
“We will do our very best to bring them to court; the bail application should not be taking now since others are not here, there is a new charge before the court and some other prove of evidence.
“We feel it may not be necessary to take the bail application now, this should be in the interest of justice; we pray that the application should be adjourned to be taken with the new amendment charge,’’ Idachaba said.
On his part, the defendant counsel led by Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN) informed the judge that “more papers and better affidavit to defend the matter had been filed before the court.”
According to Daudu, there is no law that guides the application of the prosecution that bail should not be granted in the absence of co-defendants.
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“What the prosecution is saying is strange; we cannot suffer for their ill preparedness, the former charge before the court upon which the defendant is charged should be taken.
“We urge the court to exercise its discretion and rule on the bail application because the place where the defendant is, is not conducive.
“It is bad for a woman nursing a child like her to be in that place, I orally pray the court that she should be released on bail,’’ Daudu said.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that ICPC said it had finalized plans to arraign Maimuna Aliyu mother of Maryam Sanda who is currently facing charges for allegedly killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.
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Source: Naija.ng