ATTORNEY BREATHALYSED, LOCKED UP FOR CONTEMPT

MANZINI – A senior attorney was locked up at the Manzini Magistrates Court holding cells after he was charged with contempt of court.

There was drama when lawyer Charles Snyman was ordered to take a breath test and later locked up in the holding cells for having made comments during a court session.

Before the court session resumed, Snyman had approached Public Prosecutor Temaswati Dlamini and ordered that he be allowed to start with his client’s case as he was rushing to another courtroom.

He also shouted and said he was not part of the furniture in the courtroom and would not waste all his time there.
When Magistrate Dumisa Mazibuko entered, the attorney kept passing remarks.
When he stood up to represent his client, one Sibusiso Tsabedze who was facing an offence of Crimen Injuria, the magistrate asked if he was alright.

“Are you okay Snyman?” the magistrate kept on asking the attorney.
However, the attorney sat down and stood up again, without responding to the magistrate.
Snyman’s client was ordered to leave the accused dock by Mazibuko who further told traffic police officer to conduct a breathalyser test on the attorney. The officer left the courtroom and went to fetch the breathalyser.

After 15 minutes, four traffic police officers entered the courtroom to conduct the test.
This did not go down well with Snyman who quickly stood up and said he was not going to allow the officers to conduct the breath test in public, inside the courtroom.

“Your Worship, I would like the court to respect me as well, I cannot allow the officers to conduct the breath test in public. I am not refusing, however, I will not have it done here,” the attorney said.
When he attempted to leave, Mazibuko ordered him to sit down and told officers to ensure he did not leave the courtroom.
“What you have to know is that a person earns respect, if you want to be respected, you must first respect yourself Mr Snyman,” Magistrate Mazibuko said.

Results

The breath test was eventually taken by one Constable Fakudze and the printout was handed over to the magistrate. However, the results were not discussed in court.
When Snyman eventually left the courtroom he was heard saying, ‘once a cop, always a cop’.
This statement totally infuriated the magistrate, who asked him not to make noise in his courtroom.

The attorney went on and said the magistrate had no right to tell him to ‘shut up’.
That was when he was charged with contempt of court and was ordered to pay a fine of E500 at the Revenue Offices or spend five months in prison.

A police officer was ordered to lead him to the magistrates court’s holding cells where he was locked up.
At the time this report was compiled, the attorney had been released after paying the stipulated fine.

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