A Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin on Thursday granted an order for Abdulrahman Bello, the suspected killer of Hafsoh Lawal, a final year student of Kwara State College of Education and his co-defendants to be returned to the the custody of the Department of Security Service for further investigation.
TheNigerian Metro gathered that the suspects in the alleged gruesome murder of Hafsoh had been moved from the Nigeria Correctional Service facility, Oke-kura, IIorin by the DSS as against the speculation going viral that they had been moved to Abuja.
However, on Thursday, March 20, 2025, the trial began at exactly 9.12 am at the Magistrate Court 8, Ilorin before Magistrate S.B. Mohammed and ended at exactly 10.20 am (approximately 1hr 8mins).
Mohammed however urged the defendants to express their legal rights appropriately if they were dissatisfied with the order.
Our correspondent confirmed that all the defendants were present in court with their lawyers except for the principal suspect, Abdulrahman Belo, who had yet to have any legal representation.
Arraigned along with Abdulraham were Ahmed Abdulwasiu ‘M’, 41 years of Zone C, No 47, Adualere Area, Ilorin; Suleiman Muyideen, ‘M’, 28 years, Neolife Business, No. 7 Adualere Area, Amilengbe, Ilorin; Jamiu Uthman ‘M’, 29 years, a phone repairer at Adualere Area, Ilorin and Abdulrahmon Jamiu, ‘M’, 31 years, farmer of Elemere Village via Malete Town in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State.
They were brought to the court in a white Toyota Hilux by operatives of the DSS amidst tight security.
Announcing his appearance before the court, the Chief State Counsel, Issa Zakari, said: “My Lord, after the last adjourned date, we received an intelligence security report pursuant to which we approached Your Worship that the defendants had been moved to the custody of the Department of Security Service for further investigation and it was on this note you accepted the request. As we speak, an investigation is ongoing and it is at an advanced stage.
“We hereby wish to seek the adjournment of this case till a later date when the investigation would have been concluded.”
Counsel for the 2nd and 4th defendants, A.S. Oseni, however, raised an objection saying: “During the last sitting, it was said that investigations had been concluded and sequel to that prosecution and the charge that was served on the High Court, a date has been communicated to us which is 15th April 2025. Coming to you behind the back door to seek another order, My Lord, the order is something that this Honourable Court does not have the right to hear and it is beyond Your worship.
“The high court has already seized this case. I hereby urge this Honourable Court to vacate such order and return the defendants to the prison forthwith. My Lord, these are copies of the charges served on the defendants for clarification.”
Similarly, counsel for the 3rd defendant in his submission argued that “No single provision of the law empowers the prosecution with such power to make such an order and aligned himself with the position of A.S. Oseni and urged the court to vacate the order describing it as barbaric, null and void.
He added, “This court lacks the power to determine such order because the High Court has seized the case.”
Also speaking, counsel to the 5th defendant, also aligned with the submission of other defense Counsels and urged the court to vacate the order in the interest of justice and fair hearing.”
However, Chief State Counsel, Zakari said: “I most humbly submit that the arguments by the legal representatives of the defendants is an attempt to make a mountain out of a molehill. We have informed Your Worship about the sensitivity and nature of the case which was later communicated to vide an ex parte order that investigation still needs to continue.
“Also, the defendants are yet to be arraigned before that High Court and more so, their case is yet to be mentioned there and they are even yet to take a plea before the court. The law that empowers us to mention this case before you also empowers you to sit on such an order and determine it. If the defendants or any party has any grouse over this order, they can approach the Court of Appeal to challenge such.
“Therefore, there is no condition that can stop you from granting such an order. Justice is a tripartite legal arrangement; Justice to society, justice to the victim and justice to the defendants themselves. On this note, I urge Your Worship to discountenance their position and see it as an aberration and attempt to escape from justice.”
Recall that Hafsoh, a final year student of Kwara State College of Education was allegedly killed and dismembered by AbdulRahman, a situation that was described by the people as th height of wickedness.
The case was however adjourned till Wednesday, April 9, 2025, for the continuation of hearing by the court.
