Inspector sentenced for driving under the influence

Inspector Ricardo H owednesday was sentenced for driving under the influence of alcohol on April 25 last year. Judge Robert Praag imposed a fine of SRD 1.000 which can be substituted by four weeks of custody. His driver’s license is now confiscated for eleven months and he additionally has to pay a fine of SRD 250 for driving in a manner dangerous to other road users. This fine can be substituted by one week of custody.

The inspector who reportedly has been in service for the Surinamese Police Corps for 36 years now had four times the permitted quantity of alcohol. He testified that he went to a family gathering and normally does not drink alcohol or eat meat. When he still ate a piece of meat, he suddenly did not feel well and wanted to go home. One of his nephews then recommended drinking a shot of alcohol to loosen his stomach. After that, he felt worse and decided to drive home, although he drank beforehand. According to his statement, he was on the Indira Gandhiweg, when a car pressed him and he thought that the driver maybe wanted to rob him. After he reportedly caught a flat tire, he stopped at a bus station. The inspector said he regrets what he has done and again emphasized that he usually does not drink alcohol.”Actually, I am anti alcohol”, he concluded. He claims to have learnt his lesson and asked for a commuted sentence.