Nine sentenced to death for ‘03 murder

A court in Chattogram yesterday handed death penalty to nine persons for killing a man in Fatikchhari 17 years ago. Additional District and Sessions Judge Begum Farzana Akhtar gave the verdict.

The convicts are -- Leda Nasir, Babul, Shahin, Nurul Islam, Jobayer, Didar, Abu Bakar, Jangu and Ismail. "Shahin is behind bar while the rest are absconding," said public prosecutor Md Nasir. The court also fined them Tk 20,000 each, he added.

According to the case statement, expatriate Nesar Ahmed was hacked to death over a feud on November 1, 2003.

They then dumped the body in a marshland. The following morning, locals spotted the body and informed police.

The victim's wife filed a murder case.

Police pressed charges on May 14, 2004 while a court framed charges against the nine on March 20, 2007.