A Katsina State High Court has sentenced two men to death for the brutal murder of former Commissioner for Science and Technology, Rabe Nasir, who was assassinated in his home on December 8, 2021.
Presided over by Justice I.I. Mashi, the court found Shamsu Lawal, a former security guard, and Tasi’u Rabi’u, the late commissioner’s cook, guilty of conspiring to poison and kill Nasir in a failed robbery attempt at his residence in Fatima Shema Housing Estate, Katsina.
According to court findings, forensic evidence and police investigations confirmed that Nasir died from poisoning, as toxic substances were found in his system.
In addition to the death sentences, the court handed Sani Sa’adu, another former guard, a five-year jail term for withholding crucial information related to the crime.
However, in a dramatic turn during the ruling, Gift Bako, a female suspect, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Her legal counsel applauded the court’s decision, describing it as a triumph of truth and justice.
Both the prosecution and defence teams acknowledged the fairness of the judicial process. While Ahmad Kankia, counsel to the convicted men, pleaded for leniency citing family dependents, the prosecution lauded the judgment as a victory for justice.
Witnesses in the courtroom observed visible distress as the convicts were led away by security operatives, while Bako’s family was seen rejoicing after her release.
Rabe Nasir, a respected politician and public servant, had an illustrious career. He served as Commissioner under Governor Aminu Masari’s administration and previously represented Mani and Bindawa Federal Constituency at the National Assembly. Nasir also worked with the Department of State Services (DSS) before venturing into politics.
He was laid to rest on December 10, 2021, at Gidan-Dawa cemetery in Katsina, with hundreds in attendance mourning his tragic demise.
