Drink-Driving Case: Station Commander Rescued Suspect From Assault Allegation
A Mbabane court heard claims of police assault in a drink-driving matter, including an alleged rescue by a station commander.
A drink-driving suspect told a Mbabane court that a station commander rescued him after he claimed he was assaulted by police for refusing to provide a breath specimen.
Kwanele Khumalo, 44, appeared before Magistrate Xolile Nxolile to answer a charge of drink-driving. Misryoum reports that the court record indicates Khumalo allegedly failed to comply with police instructions after being ordered by Constable Dladla to provide a breath specimen on May 1 at Nkoyoyo.
Khumalo said he pleaded guilty because he was allegedly heavily assaulted by police after refusing to give a specimen, and that he was released only after he managed to contact the station commander.. He also claimed that medical assistance was denied following the incident, adding that his wife tried to bring medication but was not allowed to do so.
In this context, the allegation of assault matters because it shapes how courts assess police handling and how accused people explain their choices at the time of arrest.
Before sentencing, Khumalo told the court he was seeing the charges for the first time and that he spent the night in police custody.. He also said he was unemployed, surviving by herding his father’s cattle, and noted that he has two minor children.. He asked the magistrate to be lenient, while also indicating he would not fully stop drinking despite being convicted for driving while intoxicated.
The magistrate sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment on each of the two counts, with an option of a fine on both counts. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, according to the case details.
Later in the same period, Misryoum reports that another drink-driving matter came before the court. Bongani Shongwe, 36, from Hlobani, was arrested in Zondle with an alcohol reading of 0.96 mg/l.
Shongwe told the court that he drove after arriving home and finding his wife in an uncontrollable situation. He said he drank a few beers to relieve stress and avoid assaulting her, and he told the court he was remorseful.
During sentencing, Shongwe received six months imprisonment with the option of an E800 fine.
These cases matter because they highlight how personal circumstances are weighed against the risks of driving while intoxicated, and because claims about how arrests are conducted can carry serious implications for fairness in court.