Times Of Swaziland: DRINK-DRIVING  SOLDIER LIES

DRINK-DRIVING  SOLDIER LIES
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BY SIBUSISO ZWANE on 10/03/2014 04:21:00


MANZINI – A drink-driving soldier got more than he bargained for when he lied
to the court.
Thokozani Kunene (37) who is based at Mbhuthu Army Barracks lied to the court
during his appearance on Saturday where he was facing three road traffic related
counts.
The accused said he was unemployed and survived on piece jobs, yet he is a
soldier.
He said he earned a living by digging pit latrines for people.
Soon after saying this, the crown told the court that according to the charge
sheet, Kunene was a member of the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force (USDF) and was
based at Mbhuthu Army Barracks. The crown said Kunene was a Private by rank and
further revealed his force number.
The presiding Magistrate Dumisa Mazibuko asked him why he was lying before the
court and also informed him that it was an offence to do so.
The accused person said he told the court that he earned a living by digging pit
latrines because he did not have a department at the USDF.
Magistrate Mazibuko told him that he would be kept in custody until tomorrow
adding the charge of lying before the court.
Kunene was arrested on Saturday morning near KaHlobile in Matsapha after being
found driving an unmentioned car with registration numbers ASD 559 BM while
under the influence of alcohol.
His breath specimen reading was 1.87mg/l which was about five times above the
legal limit of 0.38mg/l, thus he was charged with drink-driving in the first
count.
Charged
In the second count, Kunene was charged for stopping the car he was driving in
the middle of the road and blocking other road users while on the third count,
he was charged for driving the car without a valid drivers licence.
The member of the USDF pleaded guilty to all the three counts and the court
found him guilty as charged.
He said he stopped in the middle of the road after being stopped by the police.
However, Magistrate Mazibuko said the police were unfair by asking for a drivers
licence from Kunene because the breath specimen reading of 1.87mg/l suggests
that he was dead drunk.