Justice Served as Two Men Sentenced to Death for Killing Former Katsina Commissioner

A Katsina State High Court has sentenced two domestic staff to death by hanging for the murder of Rabe Nasir, the former Commissioner for Science and Technology in Katsina State.

The convicted individuals, Shamsu Lawal—a former security guard—and Tasi’u Rabi’u, a cook, were found guilty of conspiring to poison and kill their employer in his home at Fatima Shema Housing Estate on December 8, 2021.

According to court findings, the pair had initially attempted to steal from the commissioner, but when they failed, they resorted to poisoning him. Medical reports and police investigations confirmed that poison was found in the victim’s body, affirming the cause of death.

Delivering the judgment, the court held that the evidence presented, including confessional statements and forensic findings, proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused deliberately planned and executed the murder.

Both the prosecution and defense lawyers acknowledged the fairness of the trial and expressed satisfaction with the court's verdict.

The ruling brings some closure to a case that shocked the state and left many residents heartbroken over the betrayal of trust from those closest to the late commissioner.