Justice Hannah Ajayi of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin is set to deliver judgment in the high-profile case concerning the alleged murder and dismemberment of Hafsoh Lawal, a final-year student at Kwara State College of Education.

The incident, which occurred on 10 February 2025, saw Lawal reportedly killed by AbdulRahman Bello, who allegedly preserved her palms in a bucket at his apartment. Bello and four co-accused Ahmed Abdulwasiu, Suleiman Muhydeen, Jamiu Uthman, and AbdulRahman Jamiu were arraigned on five counts including:

Conspiracy to cause death

Dismemberment and illegal disposal of human remains

Possession of human body parts and blood

(Solely against Bello) rape under Section 283 of the Kwara State Penal Code

All five defendants entered not guilty pleas during the trial. The prosecution's case centres on evidence of premeditated violence and the concealment of Lawal's remains, which sparked widespread outrage across Kwara State.

Justice Ajayi's ruling, expected imminently, will address whether the prosecution successfully proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt in a case that has intensified calls for stronger campus safety measures.

Prosecution witnesses from the police and the Directorate of State Services tendered video evidences where the prime suspect, AbdulRahman Bello confessed to killing Hafsoh Lawal.

They could not link the crime to the four others except that the prime suspect immediately put calls through to them after allegedly committing the crime.

During cross examination, AbdulRahman Bello claimed that he did not kill Hafsoh but she died during sexual intercourse.

He confessed to dismembering her body and throwing the parts away because he was confused.

Evidences such as human palms, waist beads, a container of blood, phones, a pair of slippers, black soap, cutlass and knife were recovered from his house.

Other evidence tendered before the court included suspected dismembered body parts of Hafsoh Lawal found at the government dump site.

Justice Hannah Ajayi of the Kwara state high court, Ilorin, reserved judgement to the 31st of July.

Since the arrest of the prime suspect, AbdulRahman Bello after the alleged murder of Hafsoh Lawal, the case has attracted a lot of attention.