The Ntchisi First Grade Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday convicted and sentenced a 30-year-old man to 4 years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing from Nkhotakota Game Reserve.

The court heard that the convict Joseph Kalimila on August 21 this year entered into Nkhotakota Game Reserve and stole solar batteries and solar panels meant for supplying electricity to the fence of Nkhotakota Game Reserve.

The convict was arrested after well-wishers tipped police that he was offering for sale a solar panel which communities suspected that it was stolen from Nkhotakota Game Reserve and this lead to the arrest of the convict and recovery of all the stolen items.

Appearing before court on Tuesday, the convict pleaded guilty to three counts of entering into a protected area without a permit, malicious damage and theft which he admitted.

Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Fred Juma Chilowetsa said the offences are serious in nature by entering into a protected area hence the convict deserved a stiff sentence to send as a warning to other would be offenders.

He then sentenced him to 4 years in prison.