The High Court, Abuja, on Monday, convicted and sentenced Maryam Sanda to death by hanging for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, in Abuja on November 19, 2017.
Justice Yusuf Halilu, who delivered the judgment, said “every available evidence” had proved that Maryam “fatally” stabbed her husband to death, and as such, reckoned justice could only be delivered through death sentence.
The story was that Maryam saw a naked woman’s picture on Bilyaminu’s phone and waited till he was asleep before stabbing him to death on his chest, in what was no less premeditated.
Of course, there had been divergent views on the judgment with the majority standing with the death sentence as deterrence to the spate of spousal killings and domestic violence in general.
The take away from this is that there is nothing sacrosanct about marriage. The moment a couple realises it is no longer working, and having explored all avenues of reconciliation, separation, at that point speaks to wisdom, which is profitable in every sense.
Sadly, with the death of Bilyaminu and her execution in view, they have not only left their families with eternal pain, the upbringing of their kid(s) remains at the mercy of whoever is willing to help. There’s so much to learn from that ugly experience but importantly, circumspection is key in all things.
