A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has fixed June 4 for the continuation of hearing in the ongoing trial of Abdulrahman Bello and four others over the alleged murder of Hafsoh Lawal, a student of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin.
At the resumed hearing, a prosecution witness, Police Inspector Ayodele Azeez, told the court that the first defendant, Abdulrahman Bello, confessed to killing the victim. The confession, according to Inspector Azeez, was documented in a written statement and captured in a video recording, both of which were admitted as exhibits by the court.
The Inspector, who appeared alongside a lawyer and a translator as part of the prosecution team, revealed that the other four accused persons were arrested after investigations showed consistent communication between them and the principal suspect around the time of the incident.
He stated, “One of them was the first person Abdulrahman called immediately after the alleged killing.”
The court was shown a video in which Abdulrahman admitted to killing Hafsoh but denied the involvement of the other suspects. However, during cross-examination, counsel to the first defendant, Mr Abdulrazaq Daibu, raised objections to the admissibility of the video, claiming his client was tortured during interrogation.
When asked whether any incriminating evidence was recovered from the co-accused or at their residences, Inspector Azeez replied, “None was found.”
So far, ten witnesses have been presented before the court since the trial commenced. The defendants face charges including criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, and unlawful possession of human parts. Abdulrahman Bello is also facing an additional charge of rape.
The matter has been adjourned to June 4 for further hearing.
