Man gets 5 years jail for assaulting Malawi cop during demonstrations

A magistrate court in Lilongwe has sentenced up to five years imprisonment with hard labour a 37-year-old man for wounding a police officer during the anti-Jane Ansah protests.

The Nkukula resdent magistrate Cecelia Onsewa heard from prosecutors that Patricio Filimon swayed from the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) sanctioned protests to attack the police officer, Wetson Mumba.

Denis Katuya, the police prosecutor said Mumba was severely injured and was admitted to a hospital for his pain and wounds.

Katuya says Mumba still goes to hospital for medical check-ups.

The police charged Filimon with act intended to cause grievous harm.

In her judgment, Onsewa said Mumba did not only suffer from injuries and pains but humiliation as well and therefore slapped the convict with the five-year jail term.

Filimon is a second hand shoe vendor at Tsoka market in Lilongwe but hails from Chapita village in Balaka.