A senior civil servant, working for Parliament, was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol in the early hours of Saturday. His name can not be revealed as he has not yet appeared in court. The 54-year-old was taken to the Wanaheda police station. The man, according to an officer on duty, was driving in the Claudius Kandovazu Street in Katutura with his lights off and tried to get away when he was stopped by police officers. He brandished a letter from Parliament and wanted officers to talk to a certain minister as he resisted arrest. “When we pulled him off he could not even stand up straight. He nearly fell on the ground and had to lean on the car. He was also struggling to talk and had a heavy smell of alcohol about him. We took him to the hospital for a blood specimen,” said an officer at the scene who asked for anonymity. The civil servant can be released if he pays N$8 000 bail. A state of emergency to curb the spread of COVID-19, including a ban on the sale of alcohol, has been in place since 17 March. Essential workers have to carry letters stating why they need to travel.