Providence man sentenced to prison for murder of 36-year-old Qudus Kafo

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced Monday that a Providence man has been sentenced in Providence County Superior Court to life at the Adult Correctional Institutions for the murder of 36-year-old Qudus Kafo, stemming from a shooting outside a Pawtucket cigar bar in 2022.

At a hearing on April 5, 2024, before Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers, the Court sentenced 31-year-old Trequan Baker to 60 years at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI), followed by a consecutive life sentence.

On December 14, 2023, following the conclusion of an eight-day trial, the jury found Baker guilty of one count of second-degree murder, one count of discharging a firearm while in the commission of a crime of violence resulting in death, one count of possession of a firearm without a license, and one count of 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,” said Attorney General Neronha. “While this lengthy sentence cannot undo the harm that has been 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 steady commitment to seeking justice for the victims of violent crime.”

During the trial, the State proved that Baker shot and killed Kafo following a dispute at a Pawtucket cigar bar. 

On the evening of January 23, 2022, members of Baker’s family visited Fab City Cigar Lounge in Pawtucket where they congregated in a back-room bar. The victim, Qudus Kafo, was also at the bar. 

At one point in the evening, there was a verbal altercation, and a member of Baker’s family exited the bar to make a phone call. A short time later, Baker arrived and engaged in a conversation with the victim. Lounge security intervened and the argument temporarily dissipated. Subsequently, as captured on video surveillance, Baker continuously monitored the whereabouts of the victim.

Four minutes prior to a physical fight, Baker retrieved a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol from his vehicle. As captured from the video surveillance, he immediately racked the slide back, loading a round in the chamber. 

When a fist fight started between members of Baker’s family and the victim, Baker ran onto the roadway of Benefit Street and fired a shot, a point-blank range, striking Qudus Kafo in the abdomen. Rescue personnel transported the victim to Rhode Island Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

“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 and Detective Douglas Harrington of the Pawtucket Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the case.