* Kautanda to pay K800,000, Buli K500,000, Moffat K350,000, January K250,000, Jamilah K150,000, and Divason K75,000
* All the convicts paid the fines in full and the court further ordered that the confiscated 2,055 litres of fuel be forfeited to the Malawi Government
Maravi Express
Second Grade Magistrate’s Court in Mangochi has convicted and fined five men and one woman a total of K2.125 million for possessing 2,055 litres of liquid petroleum without permits — and the fuel has been forfeited to Government.
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The convicts — known illegal fuel trader, Ibrahim Kautanda (30), Bizwick Buli (28), Mponda Moffat (48), Dickson January (41), Divason Maunga (25) and Jamilah Nuru (20) — all from Mangochi District, were caught by the police during a special operation.
Mangochi Police public relations officer, lnspector Amina Tepani Daudi reports the operation was aimed at curbing the rising trend of illegal fuel trading, which negatively affects the country’s economy and national security.
Inspector Grace Mindozo and Sub Inspector Regina Chikungwa told the court that the operation, the known illegal fuel trader, Kautanda was arrested after police found four drums containing 800 litres of petrol hidden in his house; Buli was intercepted in a 2-ton Toyota Dyna, registration number MH 11073, carrying 650 litres of fuel concealed under groceries; Moffat was found with 410 litres in an unregistered 5-ton truck heading to Makanjira, while his passenger, January, was found with 120 litres of petrol.
In a separate incident, Jamilah was caught with 50 litres of petrol on a motorcycle, while Divason was found with 25 litres of petrol around Mankhwala area.
Inspector Daudi reports that in court, all six convicts pleaded guilty and asked for leniency, citing family responsibilities — “however, state prosecutors argued that illegal possession of fuel hampers national development, undermines legitimate businesses, and creates artificial shortages that force people to spend long hours in queues or buy fuel at inflated black-market prices hence urged the court to impose stiff penalties”.
“Passing sentence, Second Grade Magistrate Joshua Chirambo concurred with the state and ordered Kautanda to pay K800,000, Buli K500,000, Moffat K350,000, January K250,000, Jamilah K150,000, and Divason K75,000 — bringing the total to K2.125 million.
“The court further ordered that the confiscated 2,055 litres of fuel be forfeited to the Malawi Government. Meanwhile, all the convicts have since paid the fines in full.”
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