M A Matin, judge of the Barisal divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal, declared the verdict in a crowded court room yesterday.

The court awarded death sentence to Wahidul Islam Babul and gave life term imprisonment to Jasimuddin, Harun, Majibor Talukder, Hassan and Abdul Wahab Sikder with fine of Tk 10,000 each, in default, to suffer one year more rigorous imprisonment. The court acquitted nine others of the charges.

Theose who were acquitted are Monaseb , Kutti, Siraj Howlader, Zulfikar, Bashir, Zafar Talukder, Abdur Rob Fakir, Hamidul Islam Khan and Zafar Sikder.

According to the prosecution, the accused slaughtered rickshawpuller Shahabuddin,35, and his wife Rashida Begum,28, while they were sleeping in their house at Dekhai village of Joinkathi Union Parishad under Sadar upazila of Patuakhali district on the night of August 7 in 1997 over a land dispute.

Victim's brother-in- law Abdus Salam filed a case against the accused with Patuakhali Sadar thana on August 8, 1997.

Rokanuddin Molla, CID inspector of Police, submitted charge sheet against the 15 accused on September 27 in 1999. The case was transferred to Barisal Speedy Trial Tribunal on August 13 in 2003.The judgment was declared after examining 29 witnesses.

Special Public Prosecutor Majibur Rahman Nantu appeared for the state and Advocate Abdul Mannan Howlader and Giasuddin Kabul for the accused.