By CLEVER ZULU –
THE Lusaka fast-track court has sentenced a 26-year-old man to four months simple imprisonment after he failed to pay a fine of K2,000 for drunken driving.
Lusaka magistrate Fides Hamaundu sent Mwavwe Sinyinza to prison after he failed to pay the K2,000 admission of guilt fine.
Sinyniza had admitted to the charge of drunken driving.
Particulars of the offence are that on March 3, in the central business district of Lusaka, Sinyinza was driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol contrary to section 157 sub-section One of the Road Traffic Act number 11 of 2002 of the Laws of Zambia.
Sinyinza was apprehended after his breath exceeded the permitted limit of 0.38 grammes of alcohol.
In mitigation after failing to pay the fine, Sinyinza asked the court to exercise leniency as he had learnt his lessons not to drive under the influence of alcohol, and that he was remorseful of his actions.
But in passing judgment, the magistrate observed that the cases of drunken driving were on the rise, and that there was need for drivers to stop driving under the influence of alcohol to reduce on road traffic accidents.
“Offences of drunken driving are prevalent in society nowadays.
There is need to punish offenders and deter would-be offenders to reduce on road accidents,” she said.
Last week the court sent four people to prison for dangerous driving and drunk driving. They are all serving four months simple imprisonment.