A tanker driver has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing petroleum worth Ksh5.7 million he was transporting to Uganda.
Kiambu Principal Magistrate Wilson Rading convicted Kamugisha Mustafa Ismail alias Mugisha Mustafa after the prosecution proved that the accused stole 44,000 litres of petroleum belonging to Vivo Energy in Eldoret while en route to the neighbouring country.
Mustafa is said to have set the tanker on fire at Malaba Border to conceal evidence.
“The prosecution availed a similar 24-wheeler tanker to demonstrate that it takes a longer period to open a tank seal, to rebut the defense allegation that it took the accused only 5 minutes to open all 7 tank seals aimed at preventing explosion,” the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) said.
A Kiambu court has sentenced a Sibed Transporters Company Ltd driver to 10 years imprisonment for stealing 44,000 litres of petroleum worth Ksh. 5.7M, property of Vivo Energy Uganda. #HakiNaUsawa #TukomesheUfisadi
— Office of The Director Of Public Prosecutions (@ODPP_KE) April 5, 2023
The prosecution also called fire experts to demonstrate how different products burn, considering the trailer slowly burnt out and didn’t explode.
“Prosecution proved that the tanker didn’t explode because it didn’t have fuel,” DPP added.