- Safiu Kehinde
Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Haliu Bello, has accepted President Bola Tinubu’s pardon of his daughter-in-law, Maryam Sanda, who killed his son, Bilyaminu Bello.
As against initial statement issued yesterday, Bello in a press conference held on Tuesday said he had long forgiven Sanda and accepted the tragic incident.
This was in contrast to the family statement, which was reportedly signed by him, condemning the pardon of the lady who was in 2020 sentenced to death over the murder of Bilyaminu.
In his address at the press conference held alongside the father of Maryam, Garba Sanda, Bello disclosed that he had been on a quiet quest to secure her freedom.
The ex-PDP National Chairman stated that his motivation was purely humanitarian, and that he wanted his daughter-in-law released so she could look after her two young children, stressing that her execution would not bring back his son.
Bello explained that, as a devout Muslim, he had chosen to forgive and leave judgment to Allah.
He said he had previously written to both the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command in 2019, to seek clemency for Maryam Sanda.
This according to him was not granted until the Tinubu’s invocation of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy.
“…as a devout Muslim, I had long accepted the tragic incident which has been a subject of public discussion, choosing to forgive and leave judgment to Allah.
“There is nothing more painful than for someone to lose a son in the way I lost my son, Bilyaminu.
“However, what gives me some measure of comfort is that he left behind two beautiful children, my granddaughter, Sa’adatu Bilyaminu, and my grandson, Bilyaminu Bilyaminu, named after his father.
“I have forgiven Maryam who was found guilty of killing my son.
“Before the end of the trial, I made every effort to let both the Police and the Court know that I did not want her prosecuted, because I did not want a situation where my grandchildren, who had lost their father so tragically, would also lose their mother.” He said.
“I don’t have any problem with my family neither with anyone outside the family.
“You cannot prevent anybody from saying what is in their mind. You can take a horse to the river but you cannot force it to drink water.
“Anybody who wants to say something his free to say it. But to me as a father, I leave everything to God.” He said.
On his part, Garba Sanda, father of Maryam, expressed his gratitude to Bello and his entire family for their rare act of compassion.
“Words cannot describe our appreciation to the Bello family for this gesture of mercy and reconciliation.
“We continue to pray that something positive may yet emerge from this regrettable tragedy, that our families may heal, and that these children will grow up knowing love from both sides of their family.” He said.