Hafsoh’s murder: ‘I committed the crime alone, others not involved. Release them,’ Abdulrahman tells court

29-year-old cleric Abdulrahman Muhammed Bello, who is currently facing trial alongside four others for allegedly killing Hafsat Lawal, a final-year student at the Kwara State College of Education, has insisted that the other suspects were not involved in the crime he committed, urging the court to release them.

Abdulrahman and four others were charged last month, with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, armed robbery, and being in possession of human parts.

The other suspects are: 41-year-old Islamic scholar Ahmed Abulwasiu from Adualere in Ilorin; 28-year-old Neo Life businessperson Sulaiman Muhydeen from Amilegbe in Ilorin; 29-year-old phone repairer Jamiu Uthman from Adualere in Ilorin; and 31-year-old farmer Abdulrahman Jamiu from Elemere, Malete.

Upon resumption of the trial today, the state Ministry of Justice announced its intention to take over the case.

The Ministry’s legal representative, Barrister Issa Zakare, informed the court that legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) had been issued and that the defendant (Bello) had a case to answer.

However, during the trial, Abdulrahman raised his hand and sought permission from the court to speak.

Magistrate S.B. Mohammed granted his request and allowed him to proceed.

Abdulrahman said, “I want to say something, ma’am. The other suspects didn’t know anything about the crime I committed. I committed the crime alone, and I hereby appeal to this court to release them to go freely.”

According to Royal News, the Magistrate further asked him what happened on that day, and Abdulrahman continued:

“When the deceased arrived at my house, she said she was hungry because she couldn’t wait to eat before coming. I told her to cook, but because of her hunger, I decided to go and get food that we both ate together before we started to engage in romantic activities and later had sex. However, because God had destined that she would die that day, she passed away during the process.

“The only mistake I made that day was that, instead of shouting for help, I became nervous and decided to dismember her body. Afterward, I packed the dismembered parts and dumped them in a public dustbin, from which the police have recovered some of them.

“The only part that was found in my house was her hands, which I had not yet disposed of because I was afraid and ran out of the house the day of the incident.”