Two years for stealing crude oil

A HARARE truck driver was recently sentenced to two years in jail for stealing 1 430 litres of soya bean crude oil worth $1 480, which he was supposed to deliver at Surface Wilmar in Chitungwiza industrial area.

Tatenda Chitaunhike (31) appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Mr Oliver Mudzongachiso charged with theft of trust property.

He was convicted after a full trial. Initially, Mr Mudzongachiso slapped him with a 30-month jail term but conditionally suspended six months.

The prosecutor, Mr Edmond Ndambakuwa alleged that on June 21, Chitaunhike was assigned by his employer Ajara Trucking Logistics to Mozambique to ferry 34 370 litres of crude soya bean oil to Surface Wilmar.

While at Beira, he received the crude oil and signed the quantity and sealing inspection report to indicate that he was satisfied with the quantity and quality of the product.

Seals were then placed on the container and serial numbers recorded but along the way from Mozambique Chitaunhike stole 1 430 litres of the oil.

On June 22 when he was offloading the tanker at Surface, his employer Shupi Mahere discovered that Chitaunhike had stolen the oil and replaced it with water but the seals were not tempered with.

He reported the matter to the police and investigations carried out revealed that Chitaunhike had stolen the oil by removing the entire cap to the compartment to avoid tampering with the seals.