DRINK-DRIVER GRABS CELL KEYS, ESCAPES

MBABANE – Police in Lavumisa had a tough time dealing with an intoxicated man who raised hell in the otherwise sleepy small southern town.

Thando Mathebula (23) of Mgamude under Chief Gasa, while under the influence of an intoxicating substance, drove a Mazda sedan registered NJ 50 179, recklessly, spun it around causing dust to rise in the air, posing a health hazard to business owners, especially restaurants and vendors.

He committed these offences near the Good Hope Bar in Lavumisa along MR 8 Public Road.
Mathebula then escaped from custody after he had been arrested. He snatched keys from a police officer who tried to put him in a cell and he escaped. He was, however, rearrested the following day after surrendering himself. He told the police that he had escaped because he had left his children on their own at home.

Mathebula was charged with three counts. He pleaded guilty to two counts of contravening the Road Traffic Act No.6 of 2007 in that he drove a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

He was also charged with driving the same vehicle recklessly and at high speed, putting his life and those of pedestrians at risk. He was further charged with escaping from lawful custody.

 When he appeared in court in Nhlangano, Mathebula pleaded guilty to all three counts. The Crown paraded one witness, Detective Constable Raymond Hlophe, who is based in Lavumisa.

Hlophe told the court that on the day in question, he and other police officers were patrolling around midnight and closing bars which were operating beyond normal hours. He said while at Good Hope Bar, he saw a red car being driven at high speed despite that there were many people enjoying drinks and others were selling food.

 Negligent

Hlophe submitted that he was able to signal for the driver to stop and he did. He stated that the police introduced themselves to him and informed him that they were arresting him for negligent driving.
The officer further told the court that they took Mathebula’s breath specimen and the reading on the alcometer was 0.49mg/l which was above the legal limit of 0.37mg/l.

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