Swakopmund municipality’s Acting CEO Swartz arrested for drunken driving

The Swakopmund municipality’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Marco Swartz, was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence of an intoxicating liquor on Wednesday evening. He made a first court appearance in the Swakopmund magistrates court yesterday morning.

Details about what exactly led to the arrest remain sketchy at this time, as various senior officials were not available for comment. According to an anonymous source Swartz was arrested on his way back home from the Rossmund Golf Club at around 21:00. The Swakopmund municipal traffic department, the Namibian Police and the Swakopmund Neighborhood Watch conducted a joint traffic operation on Wednesday night.

Sources revealed the police set-up a roadblock on the B2 highway east of Swakopmund. Various drivers approaching Swakopmund turned off just before the roadblock onto the bypass road leading east of DRC – this allegedly included Swartz. Little did these drivers know there was a second road-block on this bypass road. According to sources Swartz was stopped by a junior traffic officer. Due to the high-profile case a senior traffic official, Appolus Motinga, was called to the scene. Motinga could not be reached for comment yesterday. Swartz was requested to undergo a breathalyzer test.

It was understood by namib times his reading was 0.8 milligrams per 1000 milliliters of breath. The legal limit is 0.37 milligrams per 1000 milliliters.

namib times further understands that Swartz was arrested and granted N$4 000 bail at the Swakopmund police station at around 04:00 yesterday. At his first court appearance yesterday, magistrate Gaynor Poulton postponed the matter to 27 November for plea. Prosecutor Paulus Shilongo appeared for the State whilst Swartz was represented by defense lawyer Ms X. Routh. Swartz was not available for comment yesterday, as he is currently on annual leave. Swakopmund Chief Traffic Officer, Melvin Cloete, was also not available to comment on the matter.