Abdulrahman Bello, the main suspect in the death of Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student from the Kwara State College of Education, revealed that he dismembered her body posthumously.
While testifying in front of Justice Hannah Ajayi at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Wednesday, Bello insisted that he was solely responsible for the horrific act of mutilation.
He admitted that he was intoxicated when he used a knife and a cutlass—both discovered by the police in his two-room apartment in the Olunlade neighborhood—to sever Hafsoh’s body.
Bello claimed he acted independently in the gruesome act.
“I was inebriated, and I panicked,” he stated.
Despite the shocking nature of his confession, Bello denied being responsible for the death of the 20-something-year-old student.
He alleged that Hafsoh passed away from an asthma attack during intimacy.
“I left to get her an inhaler when I saw she was struggling to breathe due to her asthma. When I returned, she had passed away. So, I went out to drink and then returned to dismember her body,” he explained to the court.
During cross-examination by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the primary suspect acknowledged he did not seek help from neighbors or report the incident to the authorities.
He also did not take the deceased to a medical facility, admitting he feared repercussions from her father.
The DPP pointed out that the deceased’s blood and body parts found at his location had not decomposed even after five days due to being preserved in alcohol.
However, the suspect refuted claims that he retained the blood and severed limb for ritualistic or financial motives.
Expressing regret, the suspect conveyed his sorrow over the situation, maintaining that he did not kill Hafsoh and professing his affection for her.
“I may never encounter someone like her again. She genuinely cared for my wellbeing. I told the police that she motivated me to take the 2024 NABTEB exam and encouraged me to buy the JAMB form for the recent exam. She was truly remarkable in my life,” he remarked.
He further alleged that police coercion led him to make a confession in a video shown in court, where he supposedly admitted to poisoning her food and strangling her.
All four co-defendants maintained that they were unaware of the murder.
In the meantime, the defense team collectively requested a week to submit their written arguments, while the prosecution sought ten days to respond after receiving the defense documents.
Justice Hannah Ajayi approved the requests and postponed the case until July 2, 2025, for the final acceptance of written submissions.