A 42-year-old self-proclaimed Islamic cleric, Kabiru Abdalla, has been sentenced to death by hanging by the Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo for the brutal murder of his client, Adeleke Lukman, who had sought spiritual guidance.
Justice Lateef Adegoke delivered the verdict, finding Abdalla guilty of conspiracy, murder, and theft. The court ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to a sentence of death by hanging for murder and seven years’ imprisonment for theft.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Opeyemi Bello, Information Officer of the Osun State Ministry of Justice, the case was prosecuted by Abiodun Badiora, who presented the facts before the court. He told the court that the deceased had approached Abdalla for spiritual support regarding the purchase of a parcel of land.
Abdalla allegedly instructed Lukman to bring money for a spiritual “overnight prayer” before finalizing the land transaction. However, after the supposed prayer session, Lukman mysteriously disappeared.
His family, alarmed by his sudden disappearance, launched a search. A tip-off from an informant revealed that Lukman was last seen visiting Abdalla’s home. When confronted, Abdalla initially denied seeing the deceased in weeks. However, a local resident contradicted him, confirming that he personally took Lukman to the cleric’s residence the day before he went missing.
The matter was reported to the police, and during interrogation, Abdalla confessed to killing Lukman. He later led investigators to the Ilesa-Akure Expressway, where the victim’s remains were discovered stuffed in a sack. One of Lukman’s palms had been severed, a detail that added to the gruesome nature of the crime. Photographic evidence was presented to the court as part of the prosecution’s case.
In total, the prosecution called six witnesses and submitted multiple exhibits, including Abdalla’s extrajudicial confession. It was also revealed that he stole ₦300,000 from Lukman on August 24, 2016.
The statement noted that the defence counsel failed to respond to the prosecution’s final written address.
In his ruling, Justice Adegoke stated that the court had no doubt regarding the cleric’s guilt, handing down the death sentence for murder and an additional seven-year jail term for theft.
The verdict closes a chilling case that highlighted the dangers of fraudulent spiritual practices and reinforces the court’s stance against ritual killings and exploitation in the guise of religion.
Leave a Reply