A Providence man has been handed a life sentence at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) for the murder of 36-year-old Qudus Kafo, following a shooting outside a Pawtucket cigar bar in 2022, announced Attorney General Peter F. Neronha today.
During a hearing on April 5, 2024, before Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers, Trequan Baker aged 31, was sentenced to 60 years at the ACI, followed by a consecutive life sentence.
In December 2023, following an eight-day trial, the jury found Baker guilty of second-degree murder, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death, possession of a firearm without a license, and conspiracy to carry a pistol without a license.
“Gun violence is all too common, altogether avoidable, and shatters the lives of victims and their loved ones,” stated Attorney General Neronha. “While this lengthy sentence cannot undo the harm caused by the defendant’s actions, I hope it provides some measure of closure for Qudus’ family. Additionally, I am grateful to the Pawtucket Police for their commitment to seeking justice for the victims of violent crime.”
During the trial, the State presented evidence proving that Baker shot and killed Qudus Kafo following a dispute at a Pawtucket cigar bar.
On January 23, 2022, members of Baker’s family and Kafo were at Fab City Cigar Lounge in Pawtucket. An altercation ensued, and Baker, after retrieving a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol from his vehicle, fired a shot at Kafo, striking him in the abdomen at point-blank range.
“I want to thank the men and women of the Pawtucket Police Department and the Attorney General’s Office for their work in bringing this defendant to justice,” said Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves. “Cases like these are life-changing for the victims and their families, and startling to our community. The streets of Pawtucket are safer with this defendant behind bars, and I am glad he has been brought to justice.”
Special Assistant Attorneys General Edward G. Mullaney and Gregory Moore of the Office of the Attorney General, along with Detective Douglas Harrington of the Pawtucket Police Department, led the investigation and prosecution of the case.
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