‘Highest Degree of Human Wickedness’: Appeal Court Upholds Death Penalty for Hafsoh’s Killer

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin has affirmed the death sentence imposed on self-acclaimed Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Bello, for the gruesome murder of his lover, Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, a 24-year-old final-year student of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin. In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday 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 court consequently upheld the judgment of the Kwara State High Court, which sentenced Bello to death by hanging and imposed an additional 10-year jail term for unlawful possession of human parts, with an option of a ₦100,000 fine. The ruling brings a significant step toward justice for Lawal, whose brutal murder on February 10, 2025, at the Olunlade area of Ilorin sparked widespread public outrage across Kwara State and beyond. The case exposed the dark underbelly of social media-facilitated crimes, as Bello had lured his victim through Facebook before killing and dismembering her body for ritual purposes.

Bello, who presented himself as an Islamic cleric, met Lawal on Facebook and lured her to his residence in the Olunlade area of Ilorin on February 10, 2025. What followed was a premeditated and cold-blooded act of violence that shocked the nation. Police investigations revealed that Bello killed Lawal and dismembered her body, removing her palms and other body parts for ritual purposes. The gruesome discovery sent shockwaves through the community, with residents calling for swift justice. When security operatives stormed Bello’s apartment, they recovered a chilling array of evidence, including two human palms and other body parts, a container of human blood, an axe and a cutlass, a table and a wooden box of black soap, a sack of charms, and a book relating to money-making charms. The recovered items formed the cornerstone of the prosecution’s case against Bello and his alleged accomplices.

The appellate judgment 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 trial judgment, Justice Ajayi described the crime as “the highest degree of human wickedness,” saying it was a “premeditated and cold-blooded act.” She held that Bello’s claim that he loved the deceased and intended to marry her was merely an afterthought designed to deceive the court. The trial judge 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. The judge noted that Bello did not show himself as a witness of truth, as his denials were all afterthoughts. Justice Ajayi further held that the video and written confessional statements obtained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police were lawfully admitted in evidence. She dismissed Bello’s allegation that he was tortured into making the confessions, ruling that the statements were voluntary and credible.

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Bello and four others were initially arraigned on charges bordering on conspiracy, murder, unlawful removal and possession of human parts and blood. Bello alone also faced a rape charge, of which he was eventually acquitted by the trial court. The five-count charge included conspiracy to murder, culpable homicide, dealing in human parts, and rape. While acquitting Bello of the rape charge, the trial court convicted him of murder and unlawful possession of human parts, sentencing him to death by hanging for the murder and imposing a 10-year prison term, with an option of a ₦100,000 fine, for the human parts offence. The court also discharged and acquitted the four other defendants — Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman and Abdulrahman Jamiu — after holding that the prosecution failed to establish their involvement in the offences.

At the appellate level, the prosecution 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 appellate 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 court held that Bello still retains any further rights of appeal available to him under the Constitution and other applicable laws, including the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Reacting to the judgment, the Kwara State Ministry of Justice described the decision 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 stated in a release. “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. “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.”

Reacting to the High Court judgment at the time, the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, described the killing as tragic and commended the judiciary for ensuring justice. “The gruesome murder of Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal was pathetic, unfortunate, regrettable and worrisome,” the monarch said in a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Abdulazeez Arowona. “The judgment has further brightened the hope and trust of the people in the judiciary and security agencies. May Almighty Allah repose the soul of the late Hafsoh Lawal and comfort her family members.” The monarch also urged parents and guardians to be vigilant and closely monitor the activities and movements of their children and wards to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. Earlier, immediately after the murder in February 2025, the Emir had directed Imams across the state to use their Friday sermons to preach against ritual killings and other inhuman acts, emphasising the need to uphold morality and dignity in society.

Justice Ajayi, in her trial judgment, used the opportunity to caution the public, especially young people, on the dangers of social media interactions. She noted that the victim might still have been alive had she informed her family or friends about her plans to visit someone she met on Facebook. The case has since become a cautionary tale about the risks of online relationships and the importance of exercising caution when interacting with strangers on social media platforms.

With the appeal court’s decision now affirming the death sentence, Bello’s legal options are limited. He may exercise his right to appeal further to the Supreme Court, Nigeria’s highest judicial authority. However, legal practitioners note that while death sentences may be pronounced by Nigerian courts, executions can only be carried out after the exhaustion of all available appeals and subject to applicable constitutional and legal procedures. Until then, Bello remains in custody, awaiting the final determination of his case as the nation watches to see whether the ultimate justice will be served for the brutal murder of Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal.

‘Highest Degree of Human Wickedness’: Appeal Court Upholds Death Penalty for Hafsoh’s Killer