Zimbabwe: Local Firm Loses U.S.$200,000 in Fuel Scam

A local fuel company lost nearly US$200 000 to two employees through illegal transactions with other fuel dealers between November last year and January this year.

Platinum Fuels, run by Acie Lumumba (real name William Gerald Mutumanje), lost 153 000 litres of diesel worth US$158 520 and US$30 500 cash to its employees Tatenda Maredza (31) and Malcolm Dodo (26).

Maredza and Dodo appeared at the Harare magistrates court charged with theft of trust property, corruptly concealing a transaction from a principal and unlawful dealing in petroleum.

They were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before magistrate Mrs Barbara Mateko, who remanded them in custody to today for bail application.

Allegations against the duo are that sometime in November last year, Platinum Fuels received fuel worth US$244 780 from Comoil and they were tasked to pay US$212 025 for the supply.

The court heard that the two only paid US$202 125 and failed to account for US$9 900.

During the same period, the two employees are said to have received 60 000 litres worth US$61 800 from Veinex which they sold and converted the cash to their own use.

It is said they received 93 000 litres of diesel worth US$96 720 from DA Motors and signed for it, but failed to account for its sale.

On December 3 last year, the duo is alleged to have supplied International Freight Services with 18 000 litres of diesel without the knowledge of the company.

It is alleged that on January 6 this year they also supplied 25 000 litres of diesel to the same company without the knowledge of the employer.

Last month, the duo is alleged to have received an order of 30 000 litres of diesel from Genesis Service Station in Kuwadzana and supplied it at US$1.03 per litre and declared 10 000 litres to the company.

They allegedly failed to account for the US$20 600 realised from the sale of the fuel.

During the same period, they also allegedly supplied 10 000 litres to Skyline Service Station located along Masvingo Road and pretended as if it had been supplied by Platinum Fuels.

The court heard that the two had no licence to deal in petroleum.

Source:

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