* Police officers found three drums and one jerrican inAlfred Alli Malinga’s car containing liquid petroleum and failed to produce documentation authorising possession or transportation of the fuel
By Duncan Mlanjira
Police in Masuku, Mangochi have arrested 27-year-old, Alfred Alli Malinga from Chiwuja Village, Traditional Authority Kawinga in Machinga for illegal possession of 550 litres of petrol without a valid permit.
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Mangochi Police public relations officer, lnspector Amina Tepani Daudi reports that the suspect was intercepted last night (August 6) at police checkpoint mounted at Masuku along the Bakili Muluzi Highway — driving a Toyota Sienta registration number MHG 155, which was stopped for routine check.
“Upon searching the vehicle, officers found three drums and one jerrican containing liquid petroleum,” says Daudi in her report. “Malinga was immediately arrested after failing to produce documentation authorising possession or transportation of the fuel.
“Preliminary investigations have revealed that Malinga is an illegal fuel trader operating at the Chiponde Border and was transporting the fuel to Mozambique. The suspect remains in police custody awaiting court proceedings.”
Daudi reiterated the constant warnings by the Police in the district and across the country against the illegal transportation and storage of fuel, emphasising the serious safety risks and legal consequences associated with such malpractice.
Just a few weeks ago, lnspector Daudi reported of a tragic loss of life of a 45-year-old mother and 13-year-old brother of an illegal fuel vendor operating in Namwera, whose fuel he was keeping in his mother’s house exploded and burnt the two to death and leaving his 20-year-old sister badly burnt.
The illegal vendor had been storing petrol at his parents’ rented house with their consent but was living elsewhere and on a chilly night of the incident, the three family members brought a charcoal burner into the house to warm themselves.
Not knowing of the danger, they placed the burner too close to the stored fuel that ignited a violent explosion and as the huge fire quickly engulfed the house, the mother and her son got trapped inside and suffered fatal burns — but the daughter managed to escape but badly burnt.
Daudi reported that the two victims’ bodies were recovered but completely burned, with some parts reduced to ashes while the daughter was rushed to Namwera Rural Hospital before being referred to Mangochi District Hospital for further medical treatment after sustaining burns to both her legs and arms.
Also last month, Police in Karonga arrested 38-year-old Patrick Viyuyu for being found transporting 1,120 litres of liquid petroleum without a permit, who was intercepted after he had wrongly parked his vehicle to pick up passengers.
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Police in Karonga reported that traffic officers on patrol stopped to issue a traffic ticket for illegal parking when they discovered 56 jerricans, each containing 20 litres of liquid petroleum in the vehicle.
The suspect also failed to provide documentation authorising him to transport the fuel and was immediately arrested while the vehicle and the fuel were both seized.
The charge for transporting liquid petroleum without a permit is contrary to Section 17(d) as read with Section 42 of the Liquid Fuels and Gas (Production and Supply) Act.
Police continue to warn the public against transporting hazardous substances without the required permits, saying such actions pose serious risks to public safety and the environment — but the dangerous habit continues amid fuel scarcity the country keeps facing.
