The Longnan Intermediate People's Court heard the case yesterday of the farmers from Chengxian County, who are seeking 25 million yuan (US$3 million) for the "illegal requisitioning of their land and demolition of their houses."

On Monday, Wang Dong, one of the plaintiffs' lawyers, told China Daily that 117 families were involved. But a notice to the court yesterday stated there are actually 113.

Yang Daobao, the farmers' other attorney, said yesterday in a telephone interview that although 72 farmers conducted themselves in a peaceful manner, "the court debate was acrimonious."

By contrast, three attorneys represented the defendants, with no personnel from the Chengxian government in attendance.

He said that Yang and himself displayed 22 pieces of evidence in the court, while government attorneys offered only a few.

Wang also said that, confronted with their request to show the certificate that allows the government to requisition the land and other proper documents, the government lawyers only said: "There is no need to show you these things."

Li Yong, one of the attorneys for the defendants, said only: "We were tackling the issue." He refused to discuss the case further.

"Based on our investigation, the Chengxian government got the green light from the provincial government to requisition the land under the pretence of building a sewer treatment plant," Wang said.

But the county government ended up authorizing a development company to build residential buildings, in which units are currently up for sale, said the plaintiffs' lawyer.