Maryam Sanda is not qualified for the recent presidential pardon/clemency according to the Nigerian Correctional Service
This is contrary to news that made the rounds in the last few days that she was listed for release from the custodial centre.
The correctional service announced that she was not among the 70 inmates of the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kuje recently granted presidential pardon.
Decongestion the Correctional Centres is a move by the federal government to reduce the likely outbreak of covid-19 among the inmates.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Augustine Njoku, Maryam Sanda was not released because she does not qualify.
He said that:
“The Service wants to categorically state that the news is fake and very unrealistic and an attempt to rubbish the good intention of the President towards decongesting the custodial centre.”
Augustine Njoku added that the criteria for releasing the inmates was clearly spelt out by the Minister of the Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.
They include:
- Convicts who are 60 years and above
- Convicts servicing 3 years and above with less than 6 months to serve
- Inmates with ill-health likely to terminate in death
- Inmates with mental ill-health
- Inmates with option of fine not exceeding N50,000 with no pending case
- Convicted pregnant women
- Convicted women with child
- Convicted inmates with minor offences
- Convicted inmates who spent 75% of their sentence after remission
Njoku added that “Maryam Sanda does not meet any of the above requirements and therefore did not benefit from the presidential pardon/clemency.”
The Correctional Service statement was corroborated by Bashir Ahmed, President Mohammedu Buhari’s personal assistant on new media:
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