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A Katsina High Court has condemned two ex-domestic workers to death by hanging for the murder of Rabe Nasir, a former Katsina State Commissioner for Science and Technology, in 2021.
Justice Ibrahim Mashi, who presided over the case, determined that Shamsu Lawal, a security guard, and Tasi’u Rabi’u, a cook, were found guilty of poisoning the commissioner after an attempted robbery failed.
The court was informed that the pair had plotted the crime within Nasir's residence in Katsina. Autopsy results presented at the trial confirmed poison in the late commissioner’s body, supporting the prosecution's argument.
A third suspect, Sani Sa’adu, another guard, received a five-year prison sentence for concealing information about the murder, while a female accused, Gift Bako, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
The defense attorney, Ahmad Murtala Kankia, requested mercy for the convicted individuals, noting their family obligations. Nonetheless, the court upheld its decision, ordering their immediate detention.
Nasir, who was also a former member of the House of Representatives and an officer of the Department of State Services (DSS), served as commissioner under former governor Aminu Bello Masari.
His death elicited outrage and a wave of condolences throughout political circles.
