Court fines magistrate Sh20,000 for drunk-driving
A motorist takes a breathalyser test during a crackdown on drunk- driving last month in Nairobi.
A magistrate who was arrested during the crackdown on drunk drivers was Tuesday fined Sh20,000 at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi after admitting he committed the offence.
Charles Kamau Mwaniki, who was scheduled to appear in open court, was taken straight to the chambers of principal magistrate Enock Cherono where he answered the charge filed against him by police from Kasarani Division.
Mr Mwaniki admitted he drove the his Toyota Prado car while drunk, becoming the first high ranking public official to be caught in breach of road safety regulations.
“This court convicts you on your own plea of guilty. You are hereby fined Sh20,000 or serve a six months in jail in default,” Mr Cherono ruled. The maximum fine for the offence is Sh100,000.
Police accused Mr Mwaniki of driving the vehicle while drunk on January 25.
Besides the magistrate, TK Katana (Teacher Kilunda) of Tahidi High, a local television drama series, was charged on Monday for driving while under the influence of alcohol.
The actor said that he was remorseful and would not break the law again. More than 100 motorists were charged with the offence, earning the government Sh2 million in fines.
The suspects were charged after breatherlyser (alcoblow) tests showed the alcohol in their blood exceeded the set limits.
Police are also hunting down 20 traffic offenders who skipped court after being given police bonds.
A police report released in December showed that motorists were fined Sh1.05 billion by the courts for traffic offences last year.
