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Arno Carstens denies drunk driving

Cape Town - South African singer Arno Carstens has pleaded not guilty to charges of drunk driving in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Thursday, reports Volksblad.

After being arrested on 19 December 2010 in Tamboerskloof for drunken driving, the singer faces charges of driving under the influence and having a blood-alcohol level of 0,2g/100 ml blood.

The state built their case against Carstens, claiming that he was caught driving under the influence and having a blood-alcohol level higher than the legal limit.

Constable Zuko Sizani was called as the state's witness and testified that he was present during the patrol when he saw a black Mercedes-Benz in Warren Street. He testified that the car had run a stop sign and failed to indicate when turning into a street.

Blood sample

"We followed the car and saw that the driver was going faster and then slower," Sizani told the court. He also said that they pulled him over in Strand Street to ask him if he had been drinking.

"He denied it," Sizani recalled.

The constable also claims that Carstens smelt of alcohol and that he was unstable when exiting his car. He was then taken to a hospital for a blood sample to be taken.

Carstens' lawyer Milton de la Harpe asked Sizani if a test was done on the scene to establish if he was under the influence of alcohol. Sizani could not provide a definite answer.

De la Harpe also wanted to know why Carstens was not taken to a district surgeon. Zisani could not answer the question.

Case postponed

His lawyer indicated that Sizani's original statement never made any mention to Carstens smelling of alcohol or being unstable on his feet. Again Sizani could not answer the question.

De la Harpe told the court that his client will testify that he was driving his Mercedes-Benz in Strandstraat and that he was stopped by the police, but will deny all the other charges against him.

The hearing has been postponed to January 2013.

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