A cross-section of Nigerians has commended Justice Hannah Olusola Ajayi of Kwara State High Court in Ilorin for sentencing to death by hanging an Ilorin-based Islamic cleric, AbdulRahman Bello.
Bello was convicted for killing and dismembering the body of a final year student of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, Hafsat Yetunde Adefalu Lawal.
Hafsat was murdered and her body dismembered by the suspect.
The cleric who was all smiles in the court at his sentencing was said to have acted in connivance with four other suspects.
Political Economist NG reports that the court discharged and acquitted the quartet of Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman, and Abdulrahman Jamiu of any connection in the five-count charge case.
Justice Hannah Olusola Ajayi who showed firmness of character described the offence by the prime suspect as the highest degree of human wickedness and a cruel act.
Justice Ajayi held that the suspect’s defence in court showed that he had preconceived the intention of killing the victim for a money-making ritual.
She said the confession of love by the prime suspect for the victim with the intention to marry her was a concocted lie to deceive the court, stressing that the cleric had a clear intention of murder for ritual purpose.
The Judge averred the suspect may not be a first offender in such ritual killing going by his attitude after committing the crime and before his arrest by the law enforcement agents.
Justice Ajayi held that the video and written evidence taken by the officers of the DSS and police from the convict duly complied with law of the state.
The judge held that no evidence substantiated the claim that the beating of the convict or the blood stain sustained due to police beating, adding that the convict did not show himself as a witness of truth, “because all what he said to deny allegations against him were afterthoughts. Moreover, a book containing secrets of money-making charms was found in his apartment.”
Justice Ajayi, who took a moment out while delivering the judgement to admonish members of the public, especially young adults, on bad influence of social media, said that the victim may have been alive if she had informed members of her family, friends or relatives of her movement or visit to a Facebook male friend before she was killed.
Hours after the judgment, many Nigerians took to social media to commend the courage shown by Justice Ajayi.
“Justice is served”, was the verdict of Olu Omorodion who gushed on his Facebook page.
Some students of Kwara State College of Education praised the judge whom they described as ‘bold.’
The incident occurred on February 10, 2025, at Olunlade Area of Ilorin, Kwara State
The court, which freed the convict of rape, however, found him guilty of killing and dismembering the body of the victim and thus sentenced him to death by hanging.
