Court fines Embu driver for ferrying drunk students

A bus driver, accused of carrying drunk secondary school students, was Tuesday fined Sh105,000 by an Embu court.

The court ordered the driver, Stephen Mwendwa, to serve six years imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine.

Mwendwa was accused of ferrying male and female students who were drunk and in possession of alcohol and miraa.

The magistrate, Jean Ndengeri, said the students from two secondary schools from Embu were heading home for December holiday when traffic officers, who were acting on a tip-off stopped the bus.

On searching inside, the officers found alcoholic drinks and miraa stuffed in school bags.

The officers arrested the driver as the students took off in different directions.

Mwendwa faced a second charge of driving a vehicle without a valid speed governor. The bus had also worn out seats.

The magistrate said the driver broke traffic laws and that he was guilty as charged.

In defence , Mwendwa told the court he had dropped the students to purchase items at a super market and that he was not aware of what they had bought.

Mwendwa told the court that he was remorseful and pleaded for leniency.

But the magistrate said Mr Mwendwa should be heavily punished to serve as a warning to other would-be offenders.