From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
An Ilorin Magistrate Court, has ruled that Abdulrahman Bello, the prime suspect in the gruesome killing of Hafsoh Yetunde Lawal, along with five others, remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation.
Magistrate S.B. Mohammed issued the order following an application by Chief State Counsel Issa Zakari, who argued that security agencies needed more time to complete their probe.
“This is a sensitive case, and intelligence reports indicate that further investigations are crucial,” Zakari told the court, stressing that detaining the suspects at the DSS facility was necessary to ensure justice.
However, defense counsels strongly opposed the request, contending that since the case had been taken over by the High Court, the magistrate lacked jurisdiction. They insisted that the suspects should be transferred to a correctional facility instead.
Despite the objections, the court upheld the prosecution’s request, ruling that the DSS should continue holding the defendants while investigations proceed.
The case, which has shocked the Kwara State community, involves the alleged murder and dismemberment of Hafsoh, a final-year student at the Kwara State College of Education. The court adjourned the matter to April 9, 2025, for further hearing.
