Partying soldiers face the law
2008-02-05 08:34
Pretoria - Ten soldiers who were arrested after they allegedly took part in a drinking binge and violently tried to stop police who tried to intervene, briefly appeared in a military court on Monday.
The 10 were not asked to plead and were released on a warning.
They are due to appear again in court on February 19.
They will face charges of public violence, malicious damage to property, common assault, disobeying lawful commands, prejudice to military discipline and riotous and unsavoury behaviour.
The soldiers from the SA Military Health Service were apparently part of a larger group who barricaded roads with dustbins, tables and chairs as they partied through the early hours of Sunday morning at the Military Health Training Formation in Thaba Tshwane, outside Pretoria.
Bakkies, cars loaded with booze
The Pretoria News reported that military police tried to storm the barracks where the parties were taking place, but were forced to retreat by soldiers armed with fire extinguishers and broken furniture.
The paper said it appeared many of the soldiers had smuggled girlfriends and boyfriends into the military installation in the back of bakkies and cars which were loaded with alcohol.
They were eventually overpowered when the MPs called in the help of the SA Police Service.
- SAPA