46-year-old Andrew Mwandira from Mswamphira Village, Traditional Authority Mabulabo in Mzimba District
* Convicted on two counts under the Liquid Fuels and Gas (Production and Supply) Act
* Each count carries a default sentence of 15 months’ imprisonment with hard labour
By Roy Howa, Malawi News Agency (MANA)
A Chinsapo businessman has been fined K4 million for illegally storing and selling petroleum products without authorisation from the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA).
Advertisement
Andrew Mwandira, 46, from Mswamphira Village, Traditional Authority Mabulabo in Mzimba District, was convicted on two counts under the Liquid Fuels and Gas (Production and Supply) Act.
Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court heard that Mwandira was found with 600 litres of petrol and 375 litres of diesel, valued at K5,570,025, at Chinsapo on November 5, 2026.
Resident Magistrate Precious Kondowe thus found Mwandira guilty and fined him K2 million for failing to comply with a lawful requirement by MERA.
And another K2 million for storing and selling petroleum products without the authority’s approval — each count carries a default sentence of 15 months’ imprisonment with hard labour.
In addition to the fines, the court ordered that the forfeited petroleum products be distributed to the Malawi Police Service and the Judiciary.
Just a few days ago, MERA dangled a reward of K1.5 million to whistleblowers on illegal off-pump fuel sales — an initiative that seeks to empower the public to act as watchdogs to protect the fuel market and ensure fair distribution.
While MERA acknowledged that illegal fuel activities take many forms including fuel adulteration, pump manipulation, and unauthorised rationing, the regulator noted that off-pump activities have emerged as a severe obstacle to fuel access.
“This new system aims to improve the detection of these illicit activities, deter potential offenders and ultimately strengthen consumer protection while we remain committed to dealing with all forms of malpractice, targeting off-pump illegalities is critical to restoring fairness to the market,” he said.
Under the new guidelines, members of the public can receive substantial financial incentives for verified reports that would lead to the interception or recovery of fuel involved in illegal fuel trading.
It was includes whistleblowing for unauthorised fuel storage to be rewarded with up to K1.5 million, depending on the volume of fuel recovered.
MERA emphasised that whistle blowers will be protected: “To qualify for a reward, reporters must provide their name and phone number, but I want to assure the public that MERA will treat the identity of every reporter in strict confidence.”
MERA thus is encouraging informants to provide as much evidence as possible, including photos, video clips, audio recordings, the specific location and any vehicle registration numbers involved.
The anonymous tip-off numbers to contact are Toll-free line 4259 (Airtel); phone or WhatsApp 0987 009 711; email mera@mera.mw or to visit MERA office or the nearest police station.—Additional reporting and editing by Duncan Mlanjira; Maravi Express
Advertisement