POLICE have claimed that they recently foiled a 10
million-litre fuel heist from PetroTrade by a deputy director in the District
Development Fund (DDF) and his accomplices.
DDF deputy director, (plant and equipment Mukwati Building)
Tonongei Machingura (57) at the weekend appeared at Harare Magistrates’ Court
with accomplices Cuthbert Wozhele (49) DDF radio technician, Nichodemus Giniyo
(52) Export Agro Services chairperson, dentist Lloyd Tavengwa Katsvamutima
(53), commodity broker Kenneth Machisa (49) and Enerst Nyanga (49) managing
director of Erlon Energy (Private) Limited.
The six, who were charged with fraud and appeared before
magistrate Victoria Mashamba on Saturday, were granted $8 000 bail each.
Allegations are that on July 1, the accused hatched a plan
to defraud PetroTrade (Private) Limited and Wozhele contacted PetroTrade
business development officer Wedson Mupambi, indicating that he, together with
the accomplices representing Glencore Energy UK Limited, had a consignment of
fuel from Splitridge that they wanted to sell to PetroTrade.
He set up a meeting with Mupambi. Mupambi allegedly
suspected that Wozhele was trying to defraud PetroTrade, so he informed his
superiors and a police report was made.
The State alleges that on July 2, detectives posed as
PetroTrade employees interested in buying the fuel from the accused. The
detectives, together with Mupambi, met with the six accused persons at Trident
Building in Harare.
It is alleged the accused produced a release order
reference number Msasa 22/6/2020 -6 purporting to be from Glencore Energy UK
Limited instructing National Oil Infrastructure Company (NOIC) to release 10
million litres of Gasoil to Splitridge (Private) Limited.
The State alleges later on the same day, Machisa sent a
proforma invoice of US$8,5 million to the complainant through the WhatsApp
platform and another meeting was set for July 3.
Investigations were made and NOIC indicated that the
release order reference Msasa 22/6/2020-6 was fraudulent as they did not
receive such instructions from Glencore Energy UK limited.
On July 3, detectives from the CID Police anti-corruption
unit met with the accused at PetroTrade offices and a short meeting was held
which led to their arrest.
The State alleges as a result of the accused persons’
actions, the complainant was potentially prejudiced of US$8,5 million.
George Manokore appeared for the State. Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment