adminAuxilia Katongomara Court Reporter
THREE Ingwebu Breweries petrol attendants who have been on the run for the past four months appeared in court facing charges of stealing fuel worth $162,000. Their arrest brings to six, the number of Ingwebu employees who have been fingered in the fuel scam involving more than 119,000 litres.
Ndabezinhle Tshabalala, Michael Ndlovu and Fortune Tshuma appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Sibongile Msipa facing theft charges.
They join Rest Tshuma, Xolani Sibanda and Bekithemba Mabukwa who are out on bail.
The six alleged fraudsters were employed as petrol and stores attendants.
Their duties involved receiving and dispatching fuel to delivery and staff vehicles as well as updating the system using issued fuel requisitions.
Prosecuting, Denmore Kasenza told the court that during the period extending from January 2013 to March 31 this year, the six allegedly connived and stole 119,812 litres of fuel which they disposed of without the required fuel requisitions or daily fuel issue vouchers.
“The six, acting in common purpose, tried to cover up for the offence and altered the quantity of fuel by forging figures on the authorised requisition so as to make it appear as if the authorised fuel was more,” said Kasenza.
The prosecutor told the court that they allegedly captured into the computer system false figures of unauthorised fuel issues.
The alleged offence came to light after an internal audit team carried out a spot check and the matter was reported to the police resulting in the arrest of the six men.
“The total value of the fuel stolen is $162,146 and nothing was recovered,” said the prosecutor.
The trio was remanded on $200 bail each.
Earlier this year, Dumisani Ncube who was a manager at Ingwebu, allegedly committed suicide after he was implicated in the scam.
He was found hanging in a bush in Pumula.
Their trial commences on July 29.
Online Reporter