THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has taken a Bulawayo service station to court for allegedly selling contaminated fuel and defying a directive to stop using the same fuel tanks until the matter has been resolved in court.
By SILAS NKALA
Toshoile Fuels’ representative, Tichaona Ruzvidzo, pleaded guilty to violating Zera regulations when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Batanai Tuwe on Friday.
He was remanded to December 21 for sentence.
The court heard that on October 25, Zera officials stormed the Nkulumane-based service station following reports that it was selling contaminated fuel.
This led to Ruzvidzo’s arrest, as Zera inspectors seized over 15 384 litres of diesel, which was in underground tanks by sealing two diesel pumps’ nozzles to stop use of the tanks. Ruzvidzo was warned not to tamper with the sealed pumps, tanks and diesel pending finalisation of the case at the courts.
The State alleges that Ruzvidzo defied the order and allegedly broke the seals, pumped out all the contaminated fuel and stored it in another overhead tank in his yard.
Zera officials later discovered the breach and filed a police report.
