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A magistrate court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has postponed the trial of an Islamic cleric, Abdulrahman Mohad (also known as Mohammed A. Bello), and four others accused of murdering Lawal Hafsoh Yetunde, a final-year student at Kwara State College of Education, for ritual purposes.
The case, which was scheduled for hearing on Thursday, was adjourned when the police presented the suspects before the court.
During the session, the Kwara State Ministry of Justice announced its decision to take over the prosecution.
Representing the ministry, Barrister Issa Zakare informed the court that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) had reviewed the case and determined that Bello had charges to answer.
He further stated that the cleric would be formally arraigned before a High Court.
Barrister Hussein Folorunsho, counsel for the victim’s family, did not contest the ministry’s takeover but emphasized the need for justice to be served.
Magistrate Sanusi Muhammad then adjourned proceedings until March 20 and ordered that the defendants remain in custody at Okekura Correctional Facility.
Earlier reports revealed that Abdulrahman Mohad and his alleged accomplices had been charged with luring Hafsoh into a trap under false pretences before taking her life.
The crime reportedly occurred on February 10, 2025. Hafsoh was last seen after receiving a phone call during a naming ceremony, after which she mysteriously vanished.
When efforts to locate her proved futile, her family reported her disappearance to the Oja Oba Police Station in Ilorin the next day.
Through an investigation tracing her last phone call, authorities identified Abdulrahman Mohad as the prime suspect, leading to his arrest. He, along with four others, was taken into custody for allegedly conspiring in the crime.
The other accused persons include 41-year-old Islamic scholar Ahmed Abulwasiu from Adualere, Ilorin; 28-year-old businessman Sulaiman Muhydeen from Amilegbe, Ilorin; 29-year-old phone repairer Jamiu Uthman from Adualere, Ilorin; and 31-year-old farmer AbdulRahman Jamiu from Elemere, Malete.
According to the police First Information Report (FIR), the suspects allegedly confessed to being part of a secret cult and admitted to killing Hafsoh for ritual purposes.
However, in a video obtained by SaharaReporters, Abdulrahman Mohad claimed sole responsibility for the crime, stating, “I am the only one that killed her. These other people were not there.”
With the case now adjourned until March 20, the accused individuals remain behind bars, awaiting further court proceedings.