Why I Killed Kwara College Student Hafsoh — Prime Suspect
A confessional video of Abdulrahman Bello, the prime suspect in the murder of Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, was presented at the resumed hearing of the murder case in the State High Court on Wednesday.
In the video, Abdulrahman confessed to killing Hafsoh as part of a money ritual. He explained that he had killed the victim for her hands, which he believed were necessary for the ritual. While he expressed regret for the murder, Abdulrahman admitted that, had he known of alternative ways to source the ritual ingredients, he would not have resorted to killing Hafsoh.
During the trial, Inspector Ayodele Azeez, a witness from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Kwara State Police Command, provided evidence in the case. Inspector Azeez testified that, on February 14, 2025, the case was transferred from C Division Oja-Oba to the State CID. He revealed that the suspect was found with items linking him to the crime, including an axe, cutlass, the victim’s hands, charms, and several phones. These were seized and later presented as evidence in court.
Inspector Azeez described how Abdulrahman was taken to a room, where he wrote a statement under caution in the presence of his lawyer, A.O. Ahmed. The suspect confirmed his statement was accurate, signed it, and the process was recorded on video.
On February 16, 2025, a police team, led by ASP Dada Segun, visited the crime scene at Olunlade and recovered a pair of earrings belonging to Hafsoh, further linking Abdulrahman to the murder.
While Barr. Agbede, who represented the defense, objected to the Compact Disk containing the video statement, arguing that the suspect was coerced into making the confession, the court overruled the objection. Justice Hannah Olushola Ajayi admitted the video as an exhibit and ordered it to be played in the courtroom.
