Appeal Court Upholds Death Sentence for Cleric Who Killed Final-Year Student Lover in Gruesome Ilorin Murder
More than a year after the gruesome killing of 24-year-old Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal shocked Nigerians, the Court of Appeal in Ilorin has upheld the death sentence imposed on self-acclaimed Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Bello, bringing renewed hope to the slain student’s family that justice has prevailed.
Lawal, a final-year student of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, was murdered on February 10, 2025, in the Olunlade area of Ilorin in a crime that sparked widespread outrage across Kwara State and beyond.
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 Lawal and unlawfully possessed human parts recovered during investigations.
The court consequently affirmed the July 2025 judgment of the Kwara State High Court, which sentenced Bello to death by hanging for murder and imposed an additional 10-year prison term for unlawful possession of human parts.
The appellate court held that the trial judge properly evaluated the evidence before the court and correctly found Bello guilty, stressing that there was no basis to interfere with either the conviction or the sentence.
Bello had been arraigned alongside four other defendants on charges of conspiracy, murder, unlawful removal and possession of human parts and blood, while he alone also faced a rape charge.
Although he was acquitted of the rape allegation, the courts found him guilty of murdering and dismembering Lawal.
The four co-defendants, Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman and Abdulrahman Jamiu, were discharged and acquitted after the prosecution failed to establish their involvement in the crime.
During the trial, the prosecution tendered video and written confessional statements made by Bello to operatives of the Department of State Services and the police.
The courts rejected his claim that the confessions were obtained through torture, ruling that they were voluntarily made and properly admitted as evidence.
Justice Hannah Ajayi, who delivered the original High Court judgment, described the killing as “the highest degree of human wickedness” and a “premeditated and cold-blooded act.”
She also dismissed Bello’s claim that he loved the deceased and intended to marry her, describing the assertion as an afterthought aimed at misleading the court.
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According to the trial judge, Bello’s conduct before his arrest, coupled with the recovery of a book on money-making charms from his residence, strengthened the prosecution’s case.
Reacting to the appellate judgment, the Kwara State Ministry of Justice described the decision as another milestone in the state’s criminal justice system, saying it reaffirmed that those convicted of serious crimes after a fair trial would be held accountable under the law.
The ministry added that the judgment would further strengthen public confidence in the judiciary and the appellate process, while noting that Bello still retains any further constitutional rights of appeal available to him.
Following the High Court judgment last year, the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, had described Lawal’s killing as tragic and commended the judiciary and security agencies for ensuring justice.
He also urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and closely monitor the movements and activities of their children to help prevent similar tragedies.
