Netrakona: Five people were sentenced to life imprisonment and three were jailed for one year for killing a man over land dispute in 2005.

Netrakona additional sessions judge Abdul Hamid on Tuesday delivered the verdict.

The convicts who got life term are Abdul Hamid, Uzzal Mia, Helal Mia, Rabbani and Rehena Begum Rina. Uzzal and Rabbani are now fugitive. All the convicts were fined Tk 10,000 each, in default, will have to suffer one year more rigorous imprisonment.

The convicts who were awarded one year jail are Roksana Begum, Rashida Begum and Nadia Begum. They were fined Tk 1,000 each, in default, will have to suffer one month more imprisonment.

Additional public prosecutor Abdul Kadir Bhuiyan said Abdul Aziz, a farmer of Pabai village of Purba Dhala upazila of the district, had an enmity with the convicts of the same village over the ownership of a piece of land.

On 4 February 2005, Abdul Hamid’s people went to the disputed land and started digging a canal. Hearing the initiative Abdul Aziz from Fazilpur Bazar area rushed to the spot and tried to stop Abdul Hamid’s people. But they got into an argument that turned into a clash. At one stage, Aziz was beaten and got severe injury.

Aziz was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where he succumbed to his injures on 5 February 2005.

Jahanara, wife of the deceased, filed a murder case against the eight people on 26 June.