A convicted drunk driving headmaster has been banned from driving for a period of a year effective from last week Tuesday, by a Molepolole Magistrates Court.
Matsheng JSS headmaster, Patrick Tlhomelang (62), was convicted for one count of driving a motor vehicle whilst unfit to drive and another count for failure to provide sufficient breath specimen.
The offences were allegedly committed on October 17th, 2020.
He was arrested by the police the same day along the road by Lephepe junction.
The headmaster also admitted to having two previous convictions.
On February 26th, 1990 he was sentenced at Palapye Magistrates Court for a similar offence of driving a motor vehicle whilst unfit due to alcohol.
He was also sentenced on September 4th, 1980 at Urban Customary Court for Assault Occasioning Bodly Harm to compensate the complainant P50 and get three strokes.
In his mitigation, the accused said his previous convictions took place a long time ago when he was still young. “I can hardly walk more than 20km as I have high blood pressure; I have a fractured bone which is not yet healed. I underwent treatment at Gaborone Private Hospital and they failed to treat me effectively and I was transferred to Durban where I was told that I have a bacteria. Had it not been for the Covid-19 outbreak I could have gone for proper treatment,” explained Tlhomelang.
He further said should the court decide to take away his drivers’ licence at his age, it will be difficult for him to continue to work and transport himself to health facilities in Molepolole and Gaborone.
In passing sentence for the first count Magistrate Rosemary Khuto fined Tlhomelang P3 000 failure of which he will be liable to 9 months imprisonment.
She also fined Tlhomelang P2 500 for the second count, failure of which he will be liable to a 6 months jail term.
The fines are payable before the 29th April 2021.
However, Tlhomelang will appear again in court on Friday before Magistrate Keabetswe Majuta at Sojwe for his other matter of Assault Common which he allegedly committed last year November.
He allegedly attacked his deputy, Tshotlo Molome, kicking her around, removing her wig and hitting her with his walking stick after he asked for some money and the deputy refused.
Uhu! Go riana gwa kgonagala gre modirela puso o ka bereka a le over 60 yrs? When is he due to retire?
I’m enlightened that this situation is shocking and unfortunate. How do driving schools typically ensure that their instructors uphold professional and ethical standards?