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Drunk kombi driver punches cop

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MANZINI- A police officer had it tough when arresting one of the 43 drink-drivers over the past weekend.

A kombi driver under the influence of alcohol assaulted a police officer from the Manzini Police Station, punching and kicking him several times when he tried to arrest him.

The driver was eventually arrested and charged with three counts. Ntokozo Mkhonta (26) was the driver of a kombi, registered SD 246 YG.

The incident happened near the Manzini Central traffic lights along the Central distribution public road.

The officer in his statement said there was a road block mounted but when he asked the accused to stop the kombi, he resisted.

When he eventually did stop and alighted from the kombi, the officer said a strong smell of alcohol came out of his mouth when he was talking.

In the first count, Mkhonta was charged with intentionally and wrongfully driving the kombi with passengers under the influence of liquor or drugs.

In the second count, the accused, being the driver of the same kombi, wrongfully and intentionally resisted lawful arrest which was being made by the Constable after committing the said traffic offences.

In the third count, the kombi driver being the driver of the same vehicle, wrongfully and intentionally assaulted the police officer using fists and kicks several times all over the body.

Yesterday he appeared before Magistrate Dumisani Mazibuko and pleaded guilty to the offences.

Magistrate Mazibuko asked why he assaulted a police officer while drunk and if he disrespected the traffic laws of country.

The accused told the court it was a mistake and requested the magistrate to grant him bail.

However, his request was unsuccessful.

"You want the court to release you now and you will be escorted by the same police officers so you can beat them up?" Magistrate Mazibuko asked the accused.

The magistrate told the accused he would be remanded back into custody so he could learn a lesson.

His case was postponed to December 21, 2010 pending the setting of a trial date.

2 drink-drivers refuse breath tests AND flee

MBABANE – A man from eLangeni allegedly refused to give a breath specimen to the police and later ran away.

The incident happened on December 12, 2010. Muzi Nkosingiphile Dlamini was driving a VW Bora with the registration number KSD 282 AM.

Dlamini, charged with three counts including drink-driving was, however, not present in court when his name was called.

He was not alone as Bhekithemba Motsa (39) of Mhlume was arrested at Manzana while driving a Mazda 3 registered SD 808 PF for a similar offence.

He appeared in court charged with four counts, including drink-driving, speeding, fighting with the police, alighting from a police vehicle and running away.

Bhekithemba was admitted to E1 000 bail, although his attorney, Sandzile Khoza, had applied that he be admitted to E500 bail.

There two are among eight people who were charged with drink-driving over the weekend. Some of them appeared at the Mbabane Magistrates Court before Senior Magistrate Henry Khumalo.

Only one woman appeared for drink-driving and she was represented by an attorney who helped her get a E1 500 fine or 15 months imprisonment - a fine that others without lawyers were granted too.

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