I WAS TEMPTED TO DRINK - ‘DD’ SUSPECT

MANZINI – A driver who was tempted to drink alcohol while accompanying his friend to a drinking spree has been arrested.   
Colani Dlamini (31) of Matsapha appeared before Manzini Magistrate Lucia Lukhele yesterday, charged with five counts.

He committed all the offences on Saturday at Ndlunganye along MR3 Public Road while driving a Honda sedan registered CSD 074 AL.

In count one, Dlamini was charged with the offence of unlawfully driving his motor vehicle on the public road while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or narcotic drugs.
The particulars of his drink-driving charge were said to have been that he could not stand properly as he was staggering when he was apprehended for the offence.

He is one of 12 others who were arrested for a similar offence.
It was also said that he had a strong smell of liquor coming from his mouth and that he could hardly pronounce words when talking.

Moreover, Dlamini was said to have in count two, resisted to board a police car when ordered to do so, while in count three, he was said to have unlawfully driven an un-roadworthy motor vehicle.

He was in count four charged with the offence of driving an unlicensed car, while in count five, he was charged with the offence of failing to furnish his address and his age when asked to do so by the police.
During his court appearance, Dlamini preferred to conduct his own defence.

guilty

He pleaded guilty to count one, three and four and he pleaded not guilty to count two and five.
He was found guilty as per his own pleas in counts one, three and four and not guilty in count two and five. 
In mitigation, he stunned the court when he pleaded for a lenient sentence based on the fact that temptation lured him to drink and drive.

He said he was accompanying his accomplice who had asked him to be his sober driver.
However, he told the court that upon arrival at the drinking spot, he was tempted to drink only to be stopped by the police who later arrested him on their way back.

lenient

In connection to the other offences, he pleaded with the court to be lenient when passing sentence on grounds that  he was not in his sober senses.
“Your Worship, I was not aware of what I was doing, given that I acted under the influence of alcohol,” he said.
When quizzed on why he was driving an unlicensed motor vehicle, he told the court that this was because he had just bought the car and was in the process of securing a valid licence to drive it.

He was sentenced to 10 months in prison or to pay a fine of E2 000 in count one, while in count three and five, he was sentenced to six months in prison or to pay a fine of E600 on each count.

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