Appeal Court Upholds Death Sentence in Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal Murder Case:
Ilorin Division Affirms Conviction of Abdulrahman Bello, Dismisses Appeal;
The Court of Appeal, Ilorin Judicial Division, has upheld the conviction and death sentence imposed on Abdulrahman Bello over the murder of Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, a student of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a panel led by Honourable Justice Gabriel Omoniyi Kolawole, the appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by the convict, ruling that the prosecution had successfully established the offences of murder and unlawful possession of human parts beyond reasonable doubt.
The court held that the trial court properly evaluated the evidence presented during the proceedings and found no basis to overturn either the conviction or the sentence. Consequently, the death sentence earlier handed down by the lower court was affirmed.
The prosecution was led by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kwara State, Senior Ibrahim Sulyman, alongside Issa Zakari, Chief State Counsel, and B.L. Abdulsalam, Assistant Chief State Counsel in the Ministry of Justice.
Abdulrahman Bello was convicted in connection with the killing of Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, whose death attracted widespread public attention during the trial.
The judgment reinforces the commitment of the Kwara State Ministry of Justice and the judiciary to ensuring that criminal cases are determined in accordance with the law and based on credible evidence presented before the courts.
Legal observers note that the appellate court’s decision further strengthens public confidence in Nigeria’s criminal justice system and the appellate process, while reaffirming the principle that individuals found guilty of serious criminal offences through due process will be held accountable under the law.
Although the Court of Appeal has affirmed the conviction and sentence, the convict retains any further constitutional rights of appeal available under Nigerian law.
