Mkukula First Grade Magistrate Court in Dowa has convicted and sentenced a 41 year-old man to seven years in prison with hard labor  after being found guilty of threatening a police officer.

Prosecutor Sub Inspector Chikondi Nkosi  identified the convict as Batwell Kaundu, and told the court that on September 26 this year, Kaundu, who had previous theft charges, called an officer from Lumbadzi Police Station investigating his case and threatened to kill him.

When Kaundu appeared in court, he pleaded not guilty; however, the state presented three witnesses who testified against him.

The prosecutor requested a severe sentence to deter others from similar actions, a recommendation that Magistrate Melvis Phoya Sulumba agreed with. The convict was subsequently sentenced to seven years in prison with hard labor.

Batwell Kaundu hails from Dzama 3 Village in Traditional Authority Chitukula, Lilongwe.