Former Natore-1 MP Momtazuddin
The court of judge Ekarmul Haque Chowdhury also fined them Tk 30,000 each and ordered they would have to serve another six months in jail if they fail to pay the amount.
Three others were acquitted as charges against them could not be proved beyond doubt.
The judge said the charges against the convicts were proved beyond any reasonable doubt.
The convicts are: Shamim Hossain (35), Arif (44), Babu (30), Aynal Hossain (48), Aslam Hossain (42), Mithu (28), Sujon (34), Faruk Babu (32), and Alam Hossain (36). Alam Hossain was tried in absentia.
Anisur Rahman (62), Shukur Babu (32) and Santu (35) were acquitted.
Slain leader’s wife Shafali Momtaz, son Sagor and his uncle Abul Kalam Azam, who is also the complainant of the case, were present in the court during the pronouncement of the verdict. Many ruling party activists were also there.
Complainant Azad expressed his dissatisfaction over the verdict and said he would appeal against the verdict in the High Court.
Tribunal’s Special Public Prosecutor Entajul Haque said, “We had expected the highest punishment for the accused.”
Defence lawyer Asharaful Islam said, “We have decided to move to the higher court as life sentence has been handed down to the accused despite prosecution’s failure to prove the charges.”
Momtazuddin, who was a former MP from Natore-1, was killed on June 6, 2003. He was also the Senior Vice President of the district Awami League when he was murdered.
The same year authorities had listed the case as a ‘sensational one’, but the High Court stayed the proceedings in 2004. After eight years of suspension, the trial began again on Nov 4, 2012.
After missing three deadlines, the final verdict came on Wednesday.
