Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
TWO men appeared in court yesterday facing charges of selling counterfeit engine oil to a vehicle servicing company.
Tatenda Ngirandi and Uniko Mutizira were brought before Harare provincial magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo, charged with selling goods bearing a forged trademark and operating without a valid shop licence. They were granted US$100 bail each.
The complainant, Norman Kahomba, is the director of Sunblast Engineering, a vehicle servicing company located at the corner of Kenneth Kaunda Avenue and Fourth Street in Harare.
According to prosecutor Mr Takudzwa Jambawu, sometime in May this year, Kahomba was introduced to Ngirandi by a mutual acquaintance as a supplier of engine oils.
Kahomba initially bought three 208-litre drums of engine oil for US$480.
After being satisfied with the initial transaction, he placed subsequent orders, which were delivered and used at Sunblast Engineering’s workshop.
The company used the oil for servicing its clients’ vehicles, but problems arose when customers began complaining about poor vehicle performance.
Some engines allegedly sustained severe damage, even failing completely, due to suspected substandard oil.
Kahomba conducted diagnostics on the affected vehicles and found defects that pointed to the engine oil as the cause.
He sent samples of the oil for testing, and the results confirmed that it was counterfeit.
Upon discovering this, Kahomba reported the matter to the police.
He worked with authorities to set a trap, luring Ngirandi to deliver another order of engine oil.
Ngirandi arrived with Mutizira and three 208-litre drums of oil in their possession.
Both men were immediately arrested, and the counterfeit oil was seized.
