Thirteen Jamaat leaders and activists were found guilty on Tuesday by a Speedy Trial Tribunal and given life sentences. They were all accused of killing Jubo League leader Khairul Islam, 37, in Lalpur Upazila of the Natore district around ten years ago.
Judge of Rajshahi Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Muhammad Mohiduzzaman found them guilty of the murder charge and pronounced the verdict.
The convicts are- Abdul Karim, Mati Sarder, Abul Kalam Azad, Mukhlesh Sarder, Mohsin Ali, Khalilur Rahman, Masud Rana, Anisur Rahman, Abdur Razzaque, Jarjish Hossain, Muhammad Kalam, Mizanur Rahman and Sanaul Haque. All of them are the residents of the Kadimchilan area of Lalpur upazila.
Each of them was also fined Tk20,000, and if they did not pay the fine, they would spend an additional three months behind bars.
Public Prosecutor of the tribunal Entazul Haque said 53 other accused of the case were also acquitted as the charges brought against them couldn't be proved beyond doubt.
According to the prosecution story in brief is that the accused armed with lethal weapons called out Khairul Islam from his house in the locality and suddenly chopped him indiscriminately causing his instant death.
According to the summary of the case, Khairul was sleeping at home on February 28, 2014. He came out of the house after hearing shouting outside. Before he knew anything, some people surrounded Khairul. They brutally hacked Khairul to death with a sharp local weapon.
Shahinur Rahman, brother of the deceased, lodged a case with Lalpur Police Station. Upon completion of the investigation, police pressed the charges around one and a half years later of the murder.
The tribunal rendered its decision after reviewing the prosecution witnesses' recorded depositions and additional pertinent material, according to Entazul Haque.