The convicts are the cook of the house, Alauddin Munshi, 24, caretaker Mehedi Mamun Rana, 23, and their two friends Mohammad Nasir-uddin, 22, and Emdadul Haq, 22.

Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 read out the highlights of the 54-page judgement in 35 minutes in a jam-packed courtroom with the convicts in the dock. The convicts protested their innocence and broke down in tears.

The convicts can appeal to the High Court against the verdict in 30 days.

"We don't expect recurrence of such heinous offence. So, I find it logical to award capital punishment to all the accused," remarked the judge in his observation.

Sonia Khan Panni, daughter of the victim, and her husband Tondrop (who uses one name), a German national, were present in the court. She burst into tears on hearing the verdict and said she was satisfied with the verdict.

Earlier, the prosecution and the defence completed their arguments and tribunal recorded statements of 26 out of 33 prosecution witnesses. The trial of the case was complete in 133 working days.

Sultana, 70, was strangled by her domestic helps and their two friends at her Dhanmondi residence in May 19 last year. They also took away Tk 82,000 and gold ornaments said to be worth about Tk 10 lakh.

Sonia filed a murder case with Dhanmondi Police Station the same day without naming any suspects.

Police arrested the accused and the Detective Branch (DB) pressed charges against the four on July 16, showing 26 people as prosecution witnesses. The court framed charges against them on September 20 last year.

All the four gave confessional statements to metropolitan magistrates on different dates during the investigation of the case.

Special public prosecutors Abdul Latif Talukder and Mahbub Ahmed appeared for the state while advocates AKM Akhter Hossain, MA Yusuf and Shafiqur Rahman defended the accused.