A drink-driving offender left the court stunned when he declared that he will never stop drinking alcohol despite being arrested and convicted for driving while intoxicated.

Patrick Tsabedze was found with an alcohol content of 1mg when a breathalyser was used to test the level of alcohol. He said he would at least not drive a vehicle when drunk, but would not entirely stop consuming alcohol.

He asked the court to be lenient with him as he is unemployed and only survived by herding his father’s cattle. He added that he had two minor children.

He was fined E600 or five months imprisonment.

Meanwhile, Neliswa Gule told the court that he ended up driving while under the influence of alcohol because he was celebrating his birthday with an alcohol content of 1.06mg in his blood.

He was fined E600 or five months in a correctional facility.

‘Station commander rescued me from police assault’

A drink-driving suspect told the court that the main reason he pleaded guilty to the charges was that he had been heavily assaulted by police officers for refusing to provide a breath specimen and was rescued by the station commander.

Kwanele Khumalo (44) of Mpolonjeni appeared before Magistrate Xolile Nxumalo at the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court to answer on a charge of drink-driving.

According to the charge sheet, on May 1 at Nkoyoyo Khumalo unlawfully failed to comply with police instructions when ordered by Constable Dladla.

He allegedly refused to provide a breath specimen when duly instructed to do so. Police allege that he had a strong smell of alcohol and was unable to stand properly.

When advised of his constitutional right to seek legal representation, Khumalo elected to conduct his own defence and pleaded guilty to the offences.

Before sentencing, he alleged that he had been heavily assaulted by police officers who forced him to provide a breath specimen without justification.

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“The police took me somewhere and assaulted me and they told me they were going to kill me until I managed to call the station commander which then led to my release,” he said.

He added that it was his first time hearing about the charges he was facing and he had spent the night in police custody.

He further told the court that he was denied medical assistance following the alleged assault. He said his wife had come to bring him medication but was denied the opportunity to give it to him.

On count one, Khumalo was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with the option of E2 000 fine whilst on count two he was also sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with the option of a E2 000 fine.

The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Meanwhile, 36-year-old Bongani Shongwe from Hlobani was arrested in Zondle with an alcohol content of 0.96 mg/l.

He told the court that the reason he decided to drive while intoxicated was that upon arriving home, he found his wife in an uncontrollable situation and subsequently drank a few beers to relieve stress and calm himself.

“When I came into the house, I found my wife in a very bad and uncontrollable situation and I went to take one or two beers to avoid assaulting her,” he said, adding that he was remorseful for committing the offence.

During sentencing Shongwe was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with the option of an E800 fine.