Justice Hannah Ajayi of the Kwara State High Court, yesterday, sentenced the Ilorin-based Facebook killer-lover, Abdulrahman Bello, to death.He is to die by hanging.
 
The cleric Bello was charged for killing and dismembering his lover, Hafsat Yetunde Adefalu Lawal, a final year female student of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, in February 2025 at Olunlade area of llorin. He was arraigned on a five-count charge with four others, namely: Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman and Abdulrahman Jamiu.
 
The case had attracted a lot of publicity and attention in and outside the state. In her judgment, Justice Ajayi discharged and acquitted the four co-accused persons.
 
The judge, who described the offence by the prime suspect as the highest degree of human wickedness and a cruel act, held that the suspect had a preconceived intention of killing the victim for money making rituals.  She also said that the confession of love by the prime suspect for the victim with the intention to marry her are all concocted lies to deceive the court. 
 
According to the judge, the attitude of the convict after committing the crime and before his arrest by the law enforcement officers showed that it may not have been his first time of engaging in the act. Moreover, a book containing secrets of money making charms was found in his apartment.
 
The court also held that video and written evidence taken by the officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) and police from the convict duly complied with the law of the state.
 
Justice Ajayi, who also held that no evidence showed or substantiated beating of the convict or bloodstains sustained due to police beating, said that the convict did not show himself as a witness of truth, “because all what he said to deny the allegations against him were afterthought.”

The judge, who took a moment to admonish members of the public, especially young adults, on the bad influence of social media, said that the victim might have been alive if she had informed her family, friends or relatives of her visit to a Facebook male friend before she was killed.

She found the convict guilty of being in possession of human parts and human blood, sentenced the acclaimed cleric to 10 years imprisonment with the option of N100,000 fine/six months jail term. 
 
The court, however, freed the convict of sexual assault but found him guilty of killing and dismembering the body of the victim, sentencing him to death by hanging. 

The convict and his co-accused were charged with conspiring and causing the death of Hafsat Lawal and dismembering her body.  They were also accused of conspiring and engaging in the removal of her body parts, draining her blood and being in possession of human parts and blood. 
‎ 
‎The prime suspect, Bello was solely accused of sexually assaulting the deceased, an offence punishable under Section 283 of the Penal Code CAP P4, Laws of Kwara State.

Meanwhile, the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman, Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Mai-Martaba (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has hailed the judgment, describing the case as pathetic, unfortunate, regrettable and worrisome. 
 
The emir, in a statement by his Press Secretary, Dr Abdulazeez Arowona, noted: “The killing of Hafsat is one of the greatest evils on earth, which we pray not to ever happen again.
 
“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 late Hafsat Lawal and comfort her family members.” He, therefore appealed to parents and guardians to be more vigilant and watch over their wards to curb the recurrence of such dastardly acts.”