The Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal on Tuesday sentenced nine people, including a former union parishad chairman to death and five others to life imprisonment in a case filed for killing an Awami League leader in 2022.
Judge Md Mohiduzzaman pronounced the verdict with the convicts being virtually connected from the Rajshahi central jail due to security concerns, said senior public prosecutor Entazul Haque Babu.
He said that the tribunal also acquitted the seven other accused in the case as the charges brought against them could not be proved beyond doubt.
The condemned convicts are Pabna Sadar Upazila AL vice-president and Hemayetpur union parishad former chairman Alauddin Malitha, 62, his brother Abul Hossain alias Ranju Malitha, 37, nephew Anowar Ahmmed Swapan, 42, grandson Ashik Malitha, 27, Ripon Khan, 27, Nuruzzaman Rakib, 20, Yasin Arafat alias Isti, 23, Iftiyar Hossain Alif alias Alif Malitha, 20, and Nurul Islam Jony, 24.
Those who have got life imprisonment are Alauddin Malitha鈥檚 brothers Haider Malitha, Dulal Malitha, Delowar Hossain alias Raju Malitha, Belal Hossain Ujjal alias Ujjal Malitha, and Ruhul Amin alias Sanju Malitha.
According to the prosecution, Alauddin Malitha had a long-standing feud with Pabna municipal AL member Saidur Rahman alias Saidur Malitha over land disputes and establishing supremacy in the area.
Later on September 09, 2020, Alauddin in collaboration with other convicts shot and hacked Saidur to death in broad daylight at Bangabaria village under the Pabna Sadar upazila.
Following the incident, Saidur鈥檚 brother Afzal Malitha alias Haran Malitha filed a murder case with the Pabna Sadar police station against 20 named and 7 to 8 unnamed people for killing his brother.
PP Entazul Haque Babu said that the tribunal heard testimony of 35 witnesses in the case.
Afzal Malitha told reporters that he was satisfied with the tribunal鈥檚 verdict and would urge the authorities concerned to execute the verdict soon.
