After four months of trial, the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin has sentenced Abdulrahman Bello to death by hanging for the murder of 24-year-old Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, a final-year student at the Kwara State College of Education.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Hannah Olushola Ajayi found Bello guilty of killing and dismembering Lawal for ritual purposes. She described the crime as “the highest degree of human wickedness and a cruel act,” adding that Bello’s actions showed premeditation and disregard for human life.
Bello was also convicted of unlawful possession of human parts and blood, for which he received a 10-year prison sentence, with an option of a ₦100,000 fine or an additional six months’ imprisonment. However, he was acquitted of a rape charge.
The court dismissed Bello’s claim that he was in love with the victim and intended to marry her, labeling it a “fabrication.” Justice Ajayi also rejected his argument that he acted under duress or suffered police brutality, affirming the credibility of video and written evidence presented by the DSS and police.
During the trial, Bello confessed to killing Lawal alone under the guise of being an Islamic cleric, saying, “If only I had known another way to source the needed ingredient, I wouldn’t have killed her.”
Four other defendants, Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muyideen, Jamiu Uthman and Abdulrahmon Jamiu were discharged and acquitted due to lack of evidence linking them to the crime.
The incident occurred on February 13, 2025, after the victim attended a naming ceremony and later visited Bello’s residence. He initially admitted to strangling her after sexual intercourse and later dismembered her body, although he later changed his story, claiming she died of an asthma attack.
The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, welcomed the judgment. In a statement by his Press Secretary, Dr Abdulazeez Arowona, the Emir described the murder as “pathetic and regrettable,” urging parents to monitor their children’s activities to avoid such tragedies.
“The judgment has renewed public confidence in the judiciary and law enforcement. May Almighty Allah grant late Hafsoh Lawal eternal rest and console her family,” he added.
Justice Ajayi also used the opportunity to caution young people against the dangers of online relationships, stressing that Hafsoh might have been saved if she had informed friends or family about her visit to a male friend she met on Facebook.
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