An Official at the Prime Minister’s Office, a Military Attaché with the Ministry of Works, a driver with the Papua New Guniea High Commission, a taxi driver and a youth were amongst 9 men who spent the night in a police cell after being charged with drunk driving.

The 9 appeared in a special court sitting before Nausori Magistrate Chaitanya Latchman this afternoon and pleaded guilty to the charge of drunk driving.

All 9 were arrested during police operations last night and early this morning.

While sentencing Principal Accounts Officer at the PM's Office Moape Rokosuka and Military Attaché Seremaia Turagabeci, Magistrate Latchan stressed that a trend needs to be set and people must heed the awareness being raised on the dangers of drinking and driving.

He told both men that they should have been more responsible and warned that they are never to repeat such an offence.

Magistrate Latchman set a fine at $500 for seven of the men and disqualified them from driving for six months which almost caused a taxi driver Sharma Nand to burst into tears as he will not have a source of income for the next six months.

They have six weeks to pay the fine or would be sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Others who appeared today included 18 year old Christopher Brown, Ganendra Sami, Sanjay Kumar, Mahadawan Reddy, Salesh Singh and PNG High Commission driver Poasa Irinivanua.

Irinivanua and Reddy will be sentenced on Tuesday as they did not have their driver license with them, however Magistrate Latchman stressed that they will be given the same sentence.

Meanwhile, a number of others arrested during police operations around the country remain in police custody this afternoon.

Director Traffic SSP Mahesh Mishra said apart from the nine in Nausori, one was booked in Navua, one in Suva, one in the West and four in Labasa.

According to SSP Mishra, apart from drunk driving, more than 100 drivers were also booked for speeding and careless driving yesterday.