The Katsina State High Court 9, presided over by Justice Ibrahim Mashi has sentenced two men, Shamsu Lawal, a former security guard, and Tasi’u Rabi’u, a cook, to death by hanging for the murder of former Katsina State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Rabe Nasir.
Nasir was brutally murdered on December 8, 2021, at his residence in Fatima Shema Housing Estate in Katsina.
The court found that Lawal and Rabi’u poisoned the late commissioner after failing in their attempt to rob him as medical investigations confirmed traces of poison in Nasir’s body.
In addition to the death sentences, the court also handed a five-year prison term to another former guard, Sani Sa’adu, for concealing vital information related to the crime.
However, the court acquitted Gift Bako, a female suspect initially linked to the case, citing insufficient evidence.
Her legal team expressed satisfaction with the verdict, describing it as a triumph of truth.
Both the prosecution and defence teams expressed satisfaction with the trial process.
Counsel to the convicts, Ahmad Kankia pleaded for leniency on behalf of his clients, highlighting their responsibilities toward their families and dependents.
Reacting to the verdict, the prosecution welcomed the judgment, stating that justice had been served in accordance with the law.
Rabe Nasir served as Commissioner for Science and Technology under former Governor Aminu Bello Masari in 2021.
He was also a former member of the House of Representatives, representing Mani/Bindawa Federal Constituency in 2003.
The deceased also served as an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS) before venturing into politics.
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