Magistrate, Tahidi High actor charged with drink-driving

George Gachihi Kisumu Districts land Registrar when he appeared before Kisumu Chief Magistrate Lucy Gitari on January 27, 2014. It was reversed roles for a magistrate on January 28, 2014 at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, when he was charged with driving while drunk. PHOTO | FILE  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Mr Charles Kamau Mwaniki who was supposed to be meting out justice in his court spent a night in a police cell before he was bundled into a police van and driven to court.
• An actor in a TV show Tahidi High, Mr Katana, whose stage name is Mr Kilunda, was also charged with drink-driving.
• The police use a gadget known as alcoblow, which has calibrations and shows different figures depending on the level of drunkenness, those whose reading exceeds the set limit are the persons who are arrested and taken to court.

By Nation Correspondent
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It was reversed roles for a magistrate yesterday at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, when he was charged with driving while drunk.

Mr Charles Kamau Mwaniki who was supposed to be meting out justice in his court spent a night in a police cell before he was bundled into a police van and driven to court.

Mr Mwaniki who was scheduled to appear in open court was given preferential treatment. He was taken straight to principal magistrate Enock Cherono’s chambers, away from the public, where he admitted to driving his vehicle while drunk.

“This court convicts you on your own plea of guilty. You are hereby fined Sh20,000 or serve six months in jail in default,” Mr Cherono ruled.

CRACKDOWN ON OFFENDERS

Police had accused the magistrate of driving a vehicle while drunk on January 25.

An actor in a TV show Tahidi High, Mr Katana, whose stage name is Mr Kilunda, was also charged with drink-driving.

Mr Katana, who acts as a teacher, said he was remorseful and would not repeat the offence.

From the fines imposed in the alcohol-related cases, the court raised over Sh2 million. Over 100 suspects were charged.

The police use a gadget known as alcoblow, which has calibrations and shows different figures depending on the level of drunkenness, those whose reading exceeds the set limit are the persons who are arrested and taken to court.

Police are hunting for traffic offenders who skipped court although they had been given police bonds and directed to appear in court on Monday.

The crackdown on drunken drivers, which began in December last year, has seen many people charged in court with driving under the influence.

Those who were arrested and charged were fined Sh10,000, but yesterday Mr Cherono handed them a uniform fine of Sh20,000.

Although a maximum fine of Sh100,000 has been pronounced Under the law, magistrates have been given the discretion to impose fines they deem fit but not exceeding the ceiling fine.