The Katsina State High Court 9, presided over by Justice I. I. Mashi, has sentenced two men to death for the murder of a former Commissioner for Science and Technology, Rabe Nasir.
Nasir was reportedly killed in December 8, 2021, by hired assassins in his residence located at Fatima Shema Housing Estate, Katsina State.
The court confirmed that Shamsu Lawal, a former guard of the deceased, and Tasi’u Rabi’u, who worked as a cook in Nasir’s house, poisoned the former commissioner, leading to his death after they failed to steal from him.
Police evidence revealed that the deceased was poisoned, as medical investigation showed poison in his body.
Besides the death sentence for the two convicts, the court also sentenced another former guard, Sani Sa’adu, to five years in prison for concealing the truth about the murder.
Also, the court acquitted a girl named Gift Bako due to a lack of sufficient evidence linking her to the crime.
The court’s verdict was welcomed by her lawyer, who stated that it was based on the truth.
Meanwhile, both the prosecution and the defence counsels, expressed satisfaction with the trial process and the verdict.
The counsel to the convicts, Ahmad Kankia, pleaded for leniency, emphasising that the convicts had families and dependents.
However, the prosecution counsel expressed satisfaction with the verdict, stating that it was in line with the law and justice was served.
It was gathered that the convicts were visibly shaken when security officials took them away to prison after the court verdict.
There was also visible joy and relief on the faces of Gift Bako’s family and lawyers after her acquittal.
Nasir served as the Commissioner for Science and Technology in Katsina State during the administration of former governor Aminu Masari in 2021.
He was also a federal legislator representing Mani and Bindawa Federal Constituency in 2003 and had previously worked as an officer in the Department of State Services.
He was assassinated in December 2021 after he returned to his home located at Fatima Shema Housing Estate, Katsina, where the police immediately launched an investigation and arrested one suspect in connection with the crime.
The murdered commissioner’s body was laid to rest on Friday, December 10, 2021 at the Gidan-Dawa cemetery in the state capital amid tears.
