A Dhaka Court on Thursday sentenced life term imprisonment to nine people on charge of killing journalist Gautam Das.
Gautam Das, 30, chief of Faridpur bureau of Bangla daily Samakal, was brutally killed at his office on November 17, 2005.
The convicts are: Asif Imran, Asif Imtiaz Bulu, Zahid Khan, Kamrul Islam Apon, Asad Bin Kadir, Siddiqur Rahman Miah, Tamjid Hossain Babu, Rajib Hassan Miah and Abu Taher Mohammad Mortuza Ahsan also known as Appollo Biswas.
They killed Gautam for publishing news on corruption of Faridpur Mujib Road repairing works in newspaper, according to the prosecution.
Of the convicts, Appollo went on hiding after the court on June 19 had fixed Thursday (June 27) for delivering the judgment in the case.
Punishment of Appollo will be effective from the day of his arrest or surrender, the court added.
Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 also fined Tk 50,000 each and in default they will have to suffer one year more in jail.
Earlier, the court recorded statements of 27 prosecution witnesses.
The case was stayed for a long time following a High Court order. The court framed charges against the accused on August 15, 2006.
Investigation officer of the case pressed charges in the case on January 19, 2006, showing 31 people as prosecution witnesses.
Source: The Daily Star
