Director, supervisor convicted in petroleum scam
By Ludia Ngwadzai
THE Nakonde Magistrates’ Court has convicted Manyanya Oils Limited, its director Charles Sinkamba and site supervisor Martha Nakamba of petroleum regulatory offences.
This follows a joint operation by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) task force on fuel smuggling and illegal vending of the commodity.
The three pleaded guilty to the charges and were convicted and fined in accordance with the law.
In a joint statement yesterday ERB and DEC said the case stemmed from an enforcement operation conducted in Nakonde on March 11 this year, during which authorities intercepted a company-owned unlicensed tanker while it was offloading petroleum products at a Manyanya Oils facility.
Investigations and laboratory tests established that the fuel failed to comply with Zambia’s mandatory petroleum marking requirements.
The joint statement said petroleum products already discharged into the underground storage tank were overmarked by more than 206 per cent, while the fuel still in the tanker was completely unmarked, contrary to the Energy Regulation (Petroleum Marking and Monitoring) Regulations.
The accused were charged with dumping petroleum products contrary to Section 48 of the Energy Regulation Act No. 12 of 2017, as read with the Energy Regulation (Petroleum Marking and Monitoring) Regulations contained in Statutory Instrument No. 69 of 2017.
They also faced charges of unlawful possession of unmarked and overmarked petroleum products, as well as selling non-conforming petroleum products.
ERB said the convictions related only to petroleum regulatory offences.
It said separate criminal proceedings involving alleged offences under the Customs and Excise Act and the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act No. 8 of 2022 arising from the same operation were still ongoing before the courts of law.
“The conviction of a licensed Oil Marketing Company and its officials sends a clear message that compliance with Zambia’s petroleum regulations is mandatory for all operators. Holding a licence does not exempt any company or individual from complying with the Energy Regulation Act and the Petroleum Marking and Monitoring Regulations,” the statement said.
