KUNMING: A police officer who shot dead an electric company employee in Yunnan province because of a minor dispute was sentenced to death yesterday. A court in Honghe prefecture found Ji Zhongchun, 42, an officer at the public security bureau of Mengzi county, guilty of murder and ordered him to pay compensation of 100,000 yuan ($14,700) to the family of Pan Jun, the victim. The court heard that on Feb 13, a drunk Ji drove his private car to a residential area in Mengzi and quarreled with Pan, 40, who said Ji's car scratched his vehicle. Pan struck Ji, who pulled out his pistol and shot him to death.

Xinhua