Mom's fake-licence horror

Anna Cox
January 29 2008 at 05:14AM

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A young mother was locked up overnight in a filthy, blood-spattered police cell after she was accused of being in possession of a false driving licence.

Vivienne Midlane, who vigorously denies the allegation of fraud, has described her experience as a nightmare.

Even though her lawyer tried to have her released on bail, police allegedly refused to charge her until the next morning.

Her children - aged 10, eight and two - were distressed because they had to spend the night without their mother.
'It was very traumatic and scary'

They had been left in the care of a domestic worker while Midlane's husband David spent the day desperately trying to get her out of jail.

"The kids were traumatised," the mother said.

"I got a call from my son's headmaster on Friday after I was released, asking what was going on because the child was distressed, telling them his mom was in jail."

And, bitterly for Midlane, she saw in her 30th birthday behind bars.

She said her troubles began last week when she went to apply for a duplicate driving licence.
'I don't know how this is going to end'

"I got my licence last February at the Langlaagte testing station. I went through a driving instructor, who gave me eight lessons.

"He helped me book the test because I couldn't get an appointment myself, and he took me for the test.

"It was during the time that eNaTIS was not up and running properly.

"I went through all the procedures, took my test and passed it, and was issued with a licence.

"I thought everything was in order until I lost the licence in December.

"My baby had got hold of my purse and scattered all its contents throughout the house. We searched high and low but could not find the licence."

When she went to apply for a duplicate, Midlane was surprised there was no record on the system of her having a driving licence.

"They told me that my name was not on the computer - only my learner's was there.

"It said I was licensed to drive but did not have the details and number of my licence.

"Officials said I should not worry, as this happened often."

Then Midlane remembered she had an expired temporary licence in her bag. She handed it to the official, thinking it could help them trace the original.

"Next thing, I was told it was a fake and I was escorted into a back office, and the police were called in to arrest me," she said.

This was the start of an ordeal which would last 24 hours.

Midlane was taken to Florida police station at 2.30pm and treated "very badly".

The police refused to charge her, and she was detained in the cells for hours without food or water.

"The cells were filthy. There was stale food all over. There was blood on the walls. There were two polystyrene cups covered with blood, so I could not get water to drink."

Her lawyer arrived. He too was unable to get her charged so that she could apply for bail.

The mother spent the night sitting in a corner of the cell because the thin mattresses were so dirty.

Her lawyer managed to get a blanket, some juice and some grapes to her - but only with difficulty.

The next morning, two female officers interrogated her, saying they had proof that she had bought her licence.

"It was very traumatic and scary," said Midlane. "I did everything by the book.

"It was later found that the serial number of my temporary licence belonged to a batch that was sent to Bhisho (in the Eastern Cape).

"No one seems to have answers and it is going to be up to me to prove that I did not buy it. I don't know how I am going to do that. I don't have receipts because I had to hand them over when the bookings were made."

Midlane now has to appear in court on February 28 to face fraud charges.

"It's going to cost a fortune in lawyers' fees and stress. I am scared. I have done nothing wrong.

"If I had a fake licence, I would hardly have handed it over. I don't know how this is going to end."

Midlane plans to take legal action against the testing centre and police because she was arrested and held without being charged.

Wayne Minnaar, spokesperson for the Joburg metro police, said several things could have gone wrong that would need to be investigated. It was possible that the driving instructor had committed the fraud, or a cashier or the woman herself, he said.

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on January 29, 2008