RAJSHAHI, Aug 20: A court in Rajshahi on Tuesday sentenced nine people to death and five others to life in prison for killing an Awami League leader.
Judge Mahiduzzaman of the Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal announced the verdict.
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 AlifMalitha, 20, and Nurul Islam Jony, 24.
The life-term convicts are Alauddin Malitha's 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 longstanding feud with Pabna municipal AL member Saidur Rahman alias Saidur Malitha over a land dispute 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 Sadar upazila of Pabna.
Following the incident, Saidur's brother, Afzal Malitha alias Haran Malitha, filed a murder case with Pabna Sadar Police Station against 20 named and eight unnamed people for the killing of his brother.
Senior public prosecutor Entazul Haque Babu confirmed this information.
He said that the total number of the accused in Saidur Malitha murder case was 21. The court sentenced nine persons, including a former union parishad chairman, to death and five others to life-term imprisonment.
The tribunal also acquitted seven other accused as the charges brought against them could not be proved beyond doubt.
PP Entazul Haque Babu also said that the tribunal took the testimony of 35 witnesses in the case.
Afzal Malitha told reporters that he was satisfied with the verdict. However, he urged the authorities concerned to execute the verdict very soon.
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