Justice Hannah Ajayi of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin has sentenced Abdulrahman Bello, a well-known Islamic cleric from Ilorin, to death by hanging after he was found guilty of culpable homicide.
He was convicted of killing and dismembering the body of 24-year-old Hafsor Lawal, a graduate of the Kwara State College of Education, for ritualistic purposes in February 2025.
In her ruling on Thursday, Justice Ajayi acquitted four other co-defendants, Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman, and Abdulrahman Jamiu, due to insufficient evidence linking them to the crime.
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The judge characterized the actions of the main defendant as “the highest degree of human wickedness and cruelty,” noting that his defense indicated a premeditated intention to kill the victim for financial gain through rituals.
While the court dismissed the rape charge against the convict, it found him guilty of murder, dismemberment, and possession of human remains and blood, leading to his death sentence by hanging.
In response to the ruling, both the victim’s family and legal representatives expressed their approval of the decision.
There has been no comment from the defense attorney regarding a potential appeal.
