A single bench of Judge Bal Mukunda Dawadi gave the verdict at 3 pm Monday.
According to District Attorney Bhuneshwar Poudel, the two Maoist cadres who had been in judicial custody for two years were handed down the sentence. The sentenced are Manager Giri of Inarwasira-9 and Ram Ekbal Sahani of Khopwa VDC. [break]
The case was filed at the court four years ago. Sah was murdered on October 5, 2007 following abduction.
Attorney Poudel said the case filed against three more accused -- Lal bahadur Chaudhary, Hare Ram Patel and Kundan Faujdar who are absconding -- is pending.
“The case related to those absconding and others will continue,” said Poudel. All the three are still members of UCPN (Maoist).
Following the verdict, Sah´s wife Umarawati complained that though two have been punished, the main accused is still at large.
Umarawati has a son and a daughter.
Mahesh Das, coordinator of the central regional chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), echoed Umarawati´s concern. While welcoming the verdict, Das demanded that those absconding be also brought to justice.
On October 5, 2007, slain journalist Sah had traveled to Umajan of Bara district with fellow traveler Ram Dev Das when he was abducted by Sahani and Faujdar under the order of local Maoist leader Chaudhary.
The two took Sah from Pipra market to a nearby forest and killed him.
Initially, the district administration had shown reluctance to arrest the killers. But following pressure in parliament, the administration was forced to hunt for the culprits.
Along with security personnel, journalists and commoners also searched for the murderers.
The local Maoist leadership initially denied party cadres´ involvement in the murder. But after the culprits were named by separate teams of a parliamentary committee, National Human Rights Commission, FNJ, and Informal Sector Service Center that visited the district, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal admitted party cadres´ involvement.
A probe committee formed by the party eventually named Chaudhary and two others as involved in the murder.
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