Kwara court grants burial request for dismembered body of Hafsoh killed for ritual purpose
In a significant development, Justice Hannah Ajayi of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, has granted an application to allow the recovered dismembered body of 24-year-old Hafsor Lawal, a victim of suspected ritual killing, to be buried according to Islamic rites.
This decision was made during a resumed accelerated hearing of the case on Monday, following an application from the Kwara State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Senior Ibrahim, after the body was admitted as an exhibit.
The case involves the first defendant, Abdulrahman Bello, and four others, who are on trial for charges of conspiracy and murder of Hafsor Lawal. During the hearing, additional testimonies were provided by three witnesses, including two police officers and a consultant anatomic pathologist from the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Dr. Olaleke Folaranmi. The court was presented with the recovered body parts, and videos documenting their recovery were shown, eliciting strong emotional responses from those following the case.
Sergeant Moses, one of the police officers involved in the investigation, recounted how Hafsor’s phone was traced to Abdulrahman Bello, who allegedly attempted to bribe him. The testimony also revealed that some of Hafsor’s body parts were found in Abdulrahman’s apartment, while others were located at a public dump site.
Following an oral application from the prosecution counsel for the body parts to be interred, Justice Hannah Ajayi approved the request. To date, a total of seven witnesses have testified, with the hearing scheduled to resume on May 21, 2025.
