PESHAWAR, June 24: An anti-terrorism court here on Monday sentenced six accused to death on two counts in the Brinks highway robbery of Nowshera district.

The judgment was pronounced by the court’s presiding officer Akhter Zareef Khan.

The  court  also sentenced them to seven years  rigorous imprisonment each for injuring a guard of Brinks Security Agency and further seven years for looting money. The accused faced trial for killing a guard and driver and looting money from a van of the security agency.

After the judgment was pronounced, the six convicts — Mir Zaman, Ahsanullah, Jan Mohammad, Nadeem, Jamshed and Sameen — told newsmen that they would file appeals before the high court.

Advocates Attaullah Khan, Amjid Zia, Gohar Rehman Khattak, Sher Afgan Khattak and Hussain Ali appeared for the defence and special prosecutor Sher Mohammad and Kifayat Ali represented the state and complainant party, respectively.

The incident took place on Sept 21, 2000, on Kheshki Road, Nowshera. The accused had killed Tanoosh Khan and Zulfiqar, the driver and guard of the security agency and injured Samar Gul. Later, they escaped with money.

The accused were arrested by the Crimes Investigation Agency (CIA). Two of them, Jan Mohammad and Nadeem, had confessed their guilt in their statements recorded under section 164 of the CrPC before a court of judicial magistrate. Two pistols were also recovered by the police near the bank of Kabul river after the accused told the police about the arms. The police also recovered Rs 1.7 million from the accused.

The case was referred to the ATC on April 15. During the trial the court examined 18 prosecution and three defence witnesses.