A Katsina State High Court has sentenced two individuals to death for their roles in the brutal murder of Dr. Rabe Nasir, a former Commissioner for Science and Technology in Katsina State.
The judgment was delivered on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, by Justice Ibrahim Mashi of High Court 9.
The convicted individuals—Shamsu Lawal, who once served as a security guard for the late commissioner, and Tasi’u Rabi’u, his former cook—were found guilty of conspiring to poison Dr. Nasir, leading to his untimely death. Their actions were reportedly motivated by failed attempts to rob the deceased.
Dr. Nasir, aged 61 at the time of his death, was killed on December 8, 2021, at his private residence located within the Fatima Shema Estate in Katsina metropolis.
An autopsy jointly conducted by police and medical professionals confirmed the presence of poison in his system, validating the prosecution’s claim that he was deliberately poisoned.
In delivering his verdict, Justice Mashi stated that the evidence presented in court overwhelmingly pointed to a premeditated act of murder. Both convicts were therefore sentenced to death by hanging.
In addition to the death sentences, the court handed a five-year prison term to another former guard of the deceased, Sani Sa’adu, who was convicted for withholding vital information about the murder during the investigation.
Meanwhile, Gift Bako, a female suspect initially linked to the case, was acquitted due to a lack of sufficient evidence connecting her to the crime.
During the final phase of the trial, counsel to the convicts, Ahmad Murtala Kankia, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, citing that the convicted individuals have families who depend on them.
Dr. Rabe Nasir had a distinguished career in public service. He served as the Commissioner for Science and Technology during the administration of former Governor Aminu Bello Masari. Earlier in his political career, he represented Mani and Bindawa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in 2003.
The judgment has been described by many in the state as a significant step towards justice and deterrence of future criminal acts, particularly those involving betrayal of trust within domestic and official relationships.
