Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin has affirmed the death sentence imposed on a self-acclaimed Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Bello, for the murder of his lover, Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, a final-year student of the Kwara State College of Education. In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Gabriel Omoniyi Kolawole, the appellate court dismissed Bello's appeal, holding that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that he murdered the victim and was unlawfully in possession of human parts.
The case dates back to February 10, 2025, when Lawal was murdered in the Olunlade area of Ilorin, a crime that sparked widespread public outrage across Kwara State and beyond. Bello and four others were initially arraigned on charges bordering on conspiracy, murder, unlawful removal, and possession of human parts and blood, while Bello alone also faced a rape charge, of which he was eventually acquitted by the trial court. The appellate court upheld the judgment of the Kwara State High Court, which sentenced Bello to death by hanging and imposed an additional 10-year jail term over his conviction for unlawful possession of human parts.
The court held that there was no merit in the appeal and consequently affirmed both the conviction and the sentence imposed by the trial court. According to the appellate court, the trial court properly evaluated the evidence before it and rightly concluded that the prosecution established the offences beyond reasonable doubt. The prosecution at the appellate court was led by the Kwara State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Senior Ibrahim Sulyman, alongside the Chief State Counsel, Issa Zakari, and Assistant Chief State Counsel, B.L. Abdulsalam.
The Kwara State Ministry of Justice described the judgment as another significant milestone in the state's criminal justice administration. "The judgment underscores the commitment of the Kwara State Ministry of Justice and the judiciary to ensuring that criminal cases are determined strictly in accordance with the law and the evidence presented before the courts," the ministry said in a statement. "It also reaffirms the principle that persons found guilty of grave offences, after a fair trial, will be held accountable under the law." The ministry further stated that the appellate court's decision would strengthen public confidence in the justice system, noting that the affirmation of the conviction and sentence represents another milestone in the administration of criminal justice and reinforces public confidence in the rule of law and the appellate process. However, it noted that Bello still retains any further rights of appeal available to him under the Constitution and other applicable laws.
The appellate ruling followed a July 2025 verdict of the Kwara State High Court, where Justice Hannah Ajayi sentenced Bello to death after finding him guilty of murdering and dismembering Lawal. Delivering the judgment, Justice Ajayi described the crime as "the highest degree of human wickedness," saying it was a "premeditated and cold-blooded act." The trial judge held that Bello's claim that he loved the deceased and intended to marry her was merely an afterthought designed to deceive the court. She also ruled that Bello's conduct after committing the crime and before his arrest suggested that it might not have been his first involvement in such an act, while a book on money-making charms recovered from his apartment further strengthened the prosecution's case.
Justice Ajayi further held that the video and written confessional statements obtained by operatives of the Department of State Services and the police were lawfully admitted in evidence, dismissing Bello's allegation that he was tortured into making the confessions. While acquitting Bello of the rape charge, the trial court found him guilty of murder and unlawful possession of human parts, leading to the death sentence and additional jail term.
The judgment has been widely seen as a significant victory for the justice system in Kwara State, sending a strong message that crimes of such magnitude will not go unpunished. For the family and friends of Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, the affirmation of the death sentence brings a measure of closure, even as they continue to mourn the loss of a young life cut short in the most brutal manner. The case has also reignited conversations about the dangers of ritual killings and the exploitation of religious positions for criminal purposes, with many calling for stricter measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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