Pretoria High Court Judge Nkola Motata will shortly be back at work, his lawyer said during sentencing procedures in his drunken driving case in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

"He will be back on duty once this case is finalised," defence counsel Bantubonke Tokota said during arguments in mitigation of sentence.

State prosecutor Zaais van Zyl asked for Motata's sentence to be a "moderate" fine of about R10 000, part of which could be suspended.

"The sentence must be something that hurts, something that reminds."

He also raised the possibility of suspending Motata's driving licence.

"The seriousness of the offence really goes without saying," he said.

Motata was last week found guilty of drunken driving. He crashed his vehicle into the perimeter wall of a property in Hurlingham, north of Johannesburg, while drunk in January 2007.

Tokota asked for a "wholly" suspended sentence saying Motata had money woes which left him "in a position" where he could not afford to pay a fine.

"It's very difficult for him to pay if he gets a fine."

He said legal fees which already amounted to close to R1-million was Motata's fine.

"He's gone through that heavy fine, legal fees were enormous."

If a fine was given, Tokota asked for the fine to be deferred.

Questioned by the judge, Tokota said Motata did not have to pay for repairs to his Jaguar S series which he crashed in the incident.

He said while Motata had not worked during the trial, he had been remunerated.

Tokota said judges like Motata earned very low salaries.

"The salary that he earned... is very low. I don't even consider going to the bench.

"I earn more than 10 times what they earn," said Tokota.

"Maybe I should come over to your side," quipped magistrate Desmond Nair.

Court was adjourned for sentencing which will begin at 1pm.