When Clemency Becomes Politicised

Editorial opinion by Tokunbo Peters

The presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the cold-blooded murder of her husband, leaves a bitter taste in the mouth and raises serious moral questions. After spending less than seven years in prison, she walks free, while the memory of her crime and its brutal nature remain fresh in the minds of the family of her late husband and Nigerians. The President could have chosen a more balanced path by commuting her death sentence to a lengthy prison term, instead of granting her total freedom.

This is not the first time justice has been casually undone by political power. In 2017, Yetunde Oyediran, a lawyer with the Oyo State Government, was convicted of stabbing her husband to death over allegations of infidelity. She was sentenced to seven years in prison for manslaughter, rather than murder for which she was charged. Yet, less than two years later, she too was granted a state pardon by then Governor Abiola Ajimobi, conveniently at the twilight of his administration.

These serial acts of clemency for convicted murderers send a dangerous message, that justice in Nigeria is negotiable, and that the privilege of power can wash away even the gravest sins. The presidential and gubernatorial pardons now appear less like instruments of mercy and more like tools of political favour. When those convicted of murder can walk free while ordinary citizens face the full weight of the law, punishment ceases to deter crime and the sanctity of justice itself begins to erode.