Ilorin-- There was a chilling turn of events, yesterday at the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, as Abdulrahman Bello, the prime suspect in the gruesome murder of a final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, confessed to dismembering the victim's body after consuming alcohol.
Bello, while opening his defence before Justice Hannah Ajayi, told the court that he acted alone in mutilating the body of the late Hafsoh. The suspect exonerated his four co-defendants, insisting that none of them had any involvement in the crime.
"I did everything myself. I drank alcohol and then cut her body into pieces," Bello said during the proceedings.
The suspect admitted to using a knife and cutlass recovered by police detectives from his two-room apartment in the Olunlade area of Ilorin to carry out the dismemberment. He, however, denied murdering Hafsoh, claiming she died during sexual intercourse as a result of an asthma attack.
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According to him, "She started gasping for breath during sex. I rushed out to get her inhaler, but by the time I returned, she was already dead. I left again to drink alcohol. When I returned, I cut her body into parts."
Bello further shocked the courtroom during cross-examination by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), when he admitted that he did not call neighbours for help, report the incident to the police, or take the deceased to the hospital.
"I was afraid of her father," he said in a flat tone.
Responding to questions from the DPP, the suspect denied involvement in money ritual activities. This followed revelations that police found the deceased's body parts and drained blood preserved in alcohol, five days after her death.
"The blood and hands were not kept for rituals," he insisted.
Bello told the court that he was in love with the late Hafsoh and held her in high esteem.
"I loved her. I can't meet anyone like her again. She cared so much about my life. She was the one who encouraged me to write the 2024 NABTEB exam and take the JAMB form. She was exceptional to me," he said.
On the confessional video tendered in court by the prosecution, Bello alleged that he was tortured by police officers to falsely confess that he poisoned the deceased and strangled her.
"They beat me and forced me to say that I poisoned her food and strangled her to death," he claimed.
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Meanwhile, the other four co-defendants in the case all denied any knowledge or involvement in the killing during their testimonies.
After hearing the testimonies, all defence counsel requested seven days to file their final written addresses simultaneously. The prosecution counsel, in response, asked for 10 days to file his own written address after receiving those of the defence.
Justice Hannah Ajayi granted both requests and adjourned the matter to July 2, 2025, for the adoption of final addresses by all parties.
