LANDI KOTAL, Oct 27: The assistant political agent of Landi Kotal Tehsil on Monday convicted six Nepalese, including five juveniles, for illegal stay in Pakistan and sentenced them to six months imprisonment with fine of Rs1,000 each.

APA Fazal Tawah Khan, in his capacity as judicial magistrate, pronounced that the accused were found guilty under section 14 of the Foreigners Act.

The six defendants -- Tirthi Bahadur Gaurang, and five juveniles Chandra Bahadur Tamang, Subah Bahadur Tamang, Prem Bahadur Tamang, Shyam Lal Tamang and Buddhiman Tamang -- were arrested by the authorities in Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber Agency on June 11, 2008, when they were going to Afghanistan.

The defendants, who were shifted to Peshawar Central Prison on July 7, alleged that they were cheated by a group of human traffickers who were taking them to Afghanistan.

The court also extended benefit of section 382-B of Criminal Procedure Code to the convicts. Under the said section the period they already spent in the prison will be counted in their prison term and it is expected that they will be released in the next couple of days.

Interestingly, as the APA conduct trial under the Frontier Crimes Regulation, therefore, the defendants were tried summarily without appearance of any counsel on their behalf.

The APA was earlier ordered by the Peshawar High Court on Oct 21 to complete their trial within 10 days.