MBABANE – At least 10 people appeared at the Mbabane Magistrates Court on Monday charged with weekend drunken driving offences before Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi.
Charged under the Road Traffic Act of 2007, the accused included a 30-year-old man, Lwazi Mamba of Mbabane, who faced three separate counts relating to drunk driving and a combined hefty E7 800 in fines.
He was charged with the failure to obey police instructions and reckless driving on top of driving under the influence of alcohol. Evidence presented in court showed that his alcohol reading was 0.96 mg/l, more than double the legal limit of 0.38 mg/l.
Mamba allegedly also ignored police orders to stop when signalled, driving past with excessive speed, nearly overturning the vehicle which carried two passengers.
He faced a sentence of an E5 000 fine or two years’ imprisonment for the first count of driving under the influence of alcohol, E2 000 or one year’s imprisonment for failing to comply with police instructions, and E800 or six months’ imprisonment for reckless driving. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will pay a maximum of E5 000.
A South African truck driver, Bongani Mthembu, was also found guilty of driving under the influence after recording 0.90 mg/l alcohol content in his system. He pleaded guilty to the charge.
To mitigate his sentence, he told the court that he was afraid to park and rest because he feared he would be robbed.
Nhlabatsi strongly warned Mthembu about these actions. She said they were irresponsible and could have led to a fatal accident. She further cautioned him that if he was ever found driving drunk in Eswatini again, he would be banned from driving across the country. Mthembu was sentenced to pay a fine of E5 000 or serve two years’ imprisonment in default.
Similarly, Pedro Adriano was found with one of the highest alcohol readings of the day, registering 1.2 mg/l in his system. He told the court that police arrested him just outside his gate while he was going to fetch a sober driver to take them to a funeral. The court, however, found him guilty and sentenced him to pay a fine of E5 000 or serve two years’ imprisonment.
Several other offenders were also brought before the court and sentenced accordingly. Maswati Ngwenya, aged 39, was found with 0.69 mg/l alcohol in his body and sentenced to pay a fine of E2 000 or serve two years’ imprisonment.
Bheki Zulu, aged 35, recorded 0.79 mg/l and was sentenced to pay E2 000 or one year imprisonment.
Solane Mbiza, also 35, was found with 0.73 mg/l alcohol in her system and received the same sentence of E2 000 or one year imprisonment.
Sifiso Mnisi, aged 33, recorded 0.48 mg/l and was fined E1 500 or one year imprisonment, while Mthunzi Khumalo, aged 37, recorded 0.56 mg/l and was given the same sentence.
The youngest offender, 22-year-old Manxoba Shongwe, was found with 0.53 mg/l and was sentenced to pay a fine of E1 500 or serve 1 year imprisonment.
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