Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
An employee of the National Oil Infrastructure Company of Zimbabwe (NOIC) is accused of stealing over 15 900 litres of ethanol valued at approximately US$17 536 from the company’s Msasa Depot in Harare.
Liberty Rice (40) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Ethel Chichera, facing charges of theft of trust property and was granted US$100 bail.
As a tank operator at NOIC’s Msasa Depot, Rice was responsible for receiving shipments of ethanol from Chisumbanje and overseeing fuel storage operations.
The State revealed that on January 14, Rice allegedly collaborated with an accomplice, Tichaona Mazani, who is currently at large, to steal ethanol.
Mazani received a shipment of 40 000 litres of ethanol from GreenFuel for the depot.
However, only 24 034 litres were stored in the tanks, with 15 942 litres reportedly diverted for personal use.
To cover up the missing ethanol, Rice is accused of falsifying tank dip measurements to indicate that the full shipment had been received.
The discrepancy was uncovered by NOIC on January 15, prompting the company to file a report at the Mabvuku Police Station, which subsequently led to Rice’s arrest.
The stolen ethanol, valued at US$17 536, has not been recovered.
NOIC was represented in court by its loss control officer, Mr Elton Mangombe. Ms Dzidzai Josiah appeared for the State.
