The Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced Abdulrahman Bello to death by hanging for the gruesome murder of Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student of the College of Education, Ilorin.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Hannah Ajayi acquitted four co-defendants, Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Jamiu Uthman, Suleiman Muyideen, and Abdulrahman Jamiu, clearing them of all charges due to a lack of evidence linking them to the crime.
The court found Bello guilty of luring the victim, his girlfriend, to his residence in the Olunlade area of Ilorin on February 10, 2025, under the guise of a romantic visit. Evidence presented in court revealed that Bello had sex with the victim before killing and dismembering her for suspected ritual purposes.
Items recovered from Bello’s room during the investigation included a blood-filled bottle, the victim’s palm, a cutlass used in the act, and other personal belongings. Additional body parts were later discovered at a nearby dumpsite.
Justice Ajayi stated that Bello’s supposed intentions to marry Hafsoh were deceptive and calculated to trap her. She emphasized that the crime was clearly for money rituals and human part trade.
With overwhelming evidence presented, the court ruled for capital punishment, sentencing Bello to death by hanging.
