Drink -drivers contribute E30k to govt coffers
MBABANE – Drink-drivers yesterday contributed a sum of E30 000 to government coffers, in the form of fines, at the Mbabane Magistrates Court.
The motorists paid the fines to gain their liberation after they had acknowledged having driven on the public roads while under the influence of alcohol.
:orth noting is that Eswatini laws frown upon drink-driving as it is considered a leading cause of negligent driving which, results in road traffic accidents. A drink-driver can be sentenced up to a maximum fine of E 000 or five years imprisonment or both, upon conviction.
However, the fines ranged from E1 200 to E2 000, depending on the alcohol content detected in their breath specimen.
Three of the drink-driving offenders used the recent Marula )estival as an excuse for drink-driving. They included Doris Mndzebele, who was arrested near Mafutha.
Influence
Mndzebele told the court that she drove the vehicle after the driver was arrested for driving it while under the influence of alcohol.
³, was arrested shortly after , had taken over from the driver, who was arrested for driving, while under the influence of alcohol, on our way from attending the second leg of the Marula )estival, which was held at Hlane Royal Residence over the weekend,” she said.
Magistrate Chazile Thwala wondered how Mndzebele took over from another drink-driver, knowing very well that she had also taken alcohol.
1tombifuthi Mnisi claimed that she was arrested after she had tasted the marula brew at the event. She told the court that she had never tasted marula brew in her life.
“Bengiva kudla kweNkhosi leHlane ,” , was tasting marula brew at Hlane Royal Residence,”
she said.
Theuri Sammy told the court that he was arrested on his way back from dropping some people at Hlane Royal Residence. The
-year-old man was arrested near Sandla in Mbabane. Apart from drink-driving, Sammy was charged for refusing to provide his breath specimen during the arrest. As a result, he was charged based on the strong smell of alcohol from his breath.
However, Sammy denied having refused to provide his specimen. He told the court that the police accused him of wasting their time when he tried to explain that he could not blow into the breathalyzer because he was asthmatic.