MYMENSINGH,  Mar 14: A court here  on Sunday sentenced nine persons to life-term imprisonment in the case for killing a man in Ishwarganj upazila here in 2003.
The  convicts  are- Akram Hossain, Md Giasuddin, Emdadul Haque, Ershadul Haque, Saidul Islam, Bachhu Miah, Idris Ali, Jewel and Helal Uddin of Bhatirchar Naupara village under the upazila of the district.
The court also fined the convicts Tk 5000 each, in default to suffer three more months in prison.
During the verdict, Md Giasuddin, Emdadul Haque and Ershadul Haque were present, and they were sent to Mymensingh jail while the others were tried in absentia, court sources said.
Fourteen other accused in the case were acquitted as allegations were not proved against them, the sources said. Two persons accused in the case died during the trial.
According to the prosecution, there had been a long standing dispute over a piece of land between Shahjalal and his neighbours of  the same village .
Following the dispute, the rivals were locked in an altercation with Shahjalal, and at one stage, they attacked Shahjalal with sharp weapons on May 18, 2003 morning and killed him.
Victim's wife Noor Jahan lodged a case with Ishwarganj Police Station the following day, accusing 28 persons including the convicts. Police after investigation submitted a charge-sheet against 25 persons.
After examining witnesses and evidence, Mohammad Johirul Kabir, judge of Second Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court, found the nine persons guilty and pronounced the verdict.