Former MP Big Boy Mamba fined E5 800
MANZINI – Former Ngudzeni Member of Parliament (MP) Big Boy Mamba was sentenced to four years in prison, with the option to pay a fine of E5 000, for the offence of drink-driving and causing damage to another man’s vehicle.
In addition, he was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of a E800 fine for a separate offence under the Road Traffic Act 6 of 2007.
The incidents occurred at a parking lot at Mahhala, Matsapha on Sunday. The former MP appeared before Man- zini Principal Magistrate Florence Msibi.
According to the charge sheet, in count one, the accused contravened Section 91 (1) as read with Section 122 (2) of the Road Traffic Act 6 of 2007, in that on April 7 at or near Mahhala parking in the Manzini Region, the accused being the driver of a motor vehicle registered FSD 007 DM, a Hyundai sedan, wrongfully and unlawfully drove the said vehicle on a public road while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or narcotic drugs.
Contents
It further stipulates that the accused had an alcohol content of 0.88mg/l, which was above the legal limit of 0.38mg/l, thus contravened the said Act.
The details of the drink-driving highlighted that Mamba was tested and found with the aforementioned content of alcohol in his body and that he drove the motor vehicle while in the influence of liquor.
Count two states that the accused contravened Section 89 (1) as read avoided. The accused pleaded guilty to both counts. In mitigation on the sentence, he said he was an unemployed pensioner, with four children who were dependent on him. He appealed for the court to exercise lenience as he was responsible after the accident.
Meanwhile, several others appeared for contravening various sections of the same Act. Sithembiso Masangane, a 40-year-old of Ludzeludze, was sentenced to three years imprisonment or a fine of E4 800 for three counts of contravening the same Act. He was tested and found with 0.68mg/l of alcohol or intoxicating drug in his system and the accused had a strong smell of alcohol from his breath. He also had red watery eyes. Masangane was caught driving a Toyota minibus registered WDS 646 AH along the D38 Public Road near Achievers in the Manzini Region. His vehicle was said to have been unroadworthy, with defective brakes and no interior door cover.
It is said he also intentionally resisted arrest by refusing to board a police van.