Harare, (New Ziana) –Fuel retailer Comoil (Pvt) Limited has been fined US$250 by the Lupane magistrates’ court for selling petrol with excess ethanol content.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) inspected the Comoil service station in Lupane, Matabeleland North province on December 6 last year and tested samples which revealed that the ethanol content was above 50 percent in violation of the E20 ZWS 964 standards.
Tanks containing the non-compliant blend were sealed and samples sent to the Standards Authority of Zimbabwe (SAZ), which confirmed the breach.
The petrolium company, which was represented by its supervisor, Livingstone Mubvumbi (42), was charged under Statutory 1instrument 23 of 2013 and Statutory Iinstrument 171 of 2014 for failing to meet fuel quality regulations.
Meanwhile, the NPAZ said a couple from Kwekwe, the Midlands province, has been jailed for six months each after they concealed part of the US$40 000 that their son had stolen, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) has said.
John Tuhwe (51) and his wife, Gciniso Ndlovu (43) were convicted by a Kwekwe magistrate for assisting their son in concealing the stolen money.
The pair, who are the parents of Calvin Tuhwe who is still at large, received and hid US$680 in a wardrobe and US$5 200 in a plastic bag containing meat inside a fridge.
The theft was carried out on May 15 last year and involved Calvin and his accomplices who broke into the complainant’s home and stole the large amount.
In a seperate case, the NPAZ said a Public Prosecutor, Yolanda Alufasi (32), stationed at the Guruve magistrates court was arrested for extortion.
The allegations against Alufasi are that between January 19 and 27 this year, she demanded US$200 from Chiedza Mutunami, sister to Innocent Mutunami who was in remand prison on charges of motor vehicle theft.
Alufasi reportedly promised to fast track the release of Innocent Mutunami’s criminal docket from the police and facilitate his bail application.
She was granted bail on condition that she deposits US$150 with the clerk of court, surrender her passport, reside at the given address and report weekly to ZRP Chiwaridzo.
New Ziana