JEDDAH: Jeddah Police stopped actress Wajnat Rahbini Saturday while she drove her car on Al-Jawazat Street, officials said. A Traffic Department patrol stopped her after receiving a report from a Saudi national near her car and immediately asked police officials to look into the case as it comes under their jurisdiction. The actress was held and remained at the location, watched by the patrolmen, until the arrival of the security police, one of whom drove her in her car to Al-Kandarah Police Station. A sergeant on duty there refused to cooperate with Okaz/Saudi Gazette reporters, the only journalists at the scene. He ordered a private to bar a reporter and photographer from entering the station, despite directives from Brig. Gen. Misfer Al-Ju'aid, Jeddah Police spokesman, to allow them to go to the office of Lt. Col. Muhammad Nahar, director of the station, to get information and statements about the incident. Col. Nahar did not answer the reporter's calls to his office and personal mobile phone. Rahbini said her late husband who taught her how to drive because his sons had abandoned him and there were several times when she had to drive him to a hospital when he was suffering from blood clots and unconscious. Rahbini, who said she was forced to drive her car because her driver had returned to his home country, added that she visited the recruitment office on Al-Jawazat Street to process transactions for her private company. She said she was treated well at the police station and released without bail, but her car was impounded. Rahbini added that she was asked to submit some documents so she could retrieve her car, which is registered in her name. The actress said she has driven before, met with traffic policemen on several occasions and that they treated her with all respect. Rahbini's arrest came on the heels of the arrest and subsequent release of Manal Al-Sharief for driving a car in Al-Khobar and posting its video on the Internet. Al-Sharief later regretted her action and pointed at other women for inciting her to take the wheels.
