The fate of three Nubians in the village of Gharb Sehil, located on the west bank on the Nile near Aswan, is hanging in the balance, with the trio having been at large for over a week after being sentenced to three years in prison each.

The saga began a year ago when the three Nubian youth altercated with an Upper Egyptian resident of the village, named Arabi Mahmoud, claiming he had built a wall on their lands.

They reportedly assaulted him, knocked down the wall and set his house on fire.

Upon the interference of officials and village leaders, an out-of-court reconciliation between the Nubians and Mahmoud was brought about, and they paid him LE20,000 in compensation.

This month, however, the three Nubians were convicted and sentenced to jail, thanks to the lawsuit Mahmoud lodged right after the incident.

The court of law said the reconciliation deal was not considered because it was not legally ratified.

Disgruntled with the verdict, the relatives of the Nubians broke into the Aswan Preliminary Courthouse on 19 February and forcibly extracted the convicts by force.

Negotiations are still underway between the families of the Nubians and officials in Gharb Sehil village.The three Nubians told Ahram Online they want to turn themselves in, provided that they would be retried.

The judge, however, is not likely to overturn the verdict.