By Ayo Kehinde
A Katsina State High Court has sentenced two domestic workers to death by hanging for the murder of former Commissioner, Rabe Nasir.
Nasir, a former Katsina Commissioner for Science and Technology, was brutally murdered on December 8, 2021, at his residence in Fatima Shema Housing Estate in Katsina.
Ruling at High Court 9, Justice I.I. Mashi convicted Shamsu Lawal, the late commissioner’s security guard, and Tasi’u Rabi’u, his cook, of poisoning their employer after a failed robbery attempt.
The court held that autopsy reports presented during the trial confirmed the presence of poison in the late commissioner’s body, validating the prosecution’s case.
While a third accused, another former guard, Sani Sa’adu, received a five-year prison sentence for concealing information about the murder, the court acquitted a fourth defendant, Gift Bako, due to insufficient evidence.
Counsel to the convicted men, Murtala Kankia, appealed for mercy, citing their family responsibilities. Nonetheless, the prosecution described the verdict as a fair application of the law and a victory for justice.
The late Rabe Nasir was a prominent public servant who also served as a federal lawmaker representing Mani and Bindawa constituencies in 2003. Prior to his political career, he worked with Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS).
The ruling marks a significant step in concluding a case that drew widespread attention across Katsina and beyond
