PESHAWAR, Nov 14: A local Anti-Terrorism Court on Wednesday convicted a man of blowing up a private school and sentenced him to 14 years rigorous imprisonment.

Judge Azhar Khan pronounced that the prosecution had proved the school bombing charge against Mehraban Shah, a resident of Peshawar’s Palosai area, by producing the relevant evidence.

He, however, acquitted nine suspects in light of insufficient evidence against them.

Special prosecutor Sultan Mehmood appeared for the state and contended that the suspects had planted improvised explosive device at Aziz Khan Public School on Warsak Road in Mathra area.

He added that the explosion of IED badly damaged the school building.

The prosecutor said Mehraban Shah, who was among the arrested suspects, had confessed his involvement in the bombing.

However, the lawyer for Mehraban said his client had recorded the confessional statement under duress after being tortured by police in custody.