An Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Bello, stunned the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Wednesday after confessing to the brutal m3rder of Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, a final-year student, during a court session
Bello, the prime suspect in the case, admitted in a video recording played in court that he killed the young woman to use her body parts for a money ritual.
The confession, which formed part of evidence tendered by the prosecution, revealed that he acted alone and would not have committed the crime if he had access to human parts through other means.
The case is being presided over by Justice Hannah Olushola Ajayi.
Inspector Ayodele Azeez of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) testified that on February 14, 2025, the case was transferred from the Oja-Oba Police Division to the State CID. According to him, a search of Bello’s residence in Olunlade uncovered several disturbing items, including an axe, a cutlass, charms, a table, a consultation book, a blood-filled container, a pair of slippers, and the severed hands of the victim.
Inspector Azeez further testified that Bello voluntarily gave a written and recorded statement in the presence of a lawyer, Barrister A.O. Ahmed, who was provided by the police after the suspect said he could not afford legal representation. The statement was later transferred to a compact disk and submitted as evidence.
Defense counsel Barrister Agbede objected to the admissibility of the video, alleging that Bello was coerced. However, Justice Ajayi dismissed the objection and admitted the video into evidence, ordering it to be played in court.
Inspector Azeez also told the court that investigators tracked down Bello’s associates using his call records. The records showed frequent communication between the cleric and the other defendants before and on the day of the murder.
“All five suspects are connected,” Azeez testified. “The second defendant is Bello’s teacher, the third is the teacher’s student, while the third and fifth defendants are close friends of the first defendant.”
Court proceedings were adjourned for recess at 11:32am and are expected to continue later in the day.
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