8 nabbed for petrol theft

The Oshikoto police have arrested eight people suspected of being members of a large fuel-smuggling syndicate. The most recent arrest was that of fuel truck driver Utavali Faston, 50, who was caught by the Okatope Police filling drums with petrol from the tanker. The police confiscated 425 litres of fuel. Faston, along with a 17-year-old boy, were charged with theft of fuel and appeared before the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. The latest arrest came after the police at Omuthiya recorded a case of fuel theft in which 1 000 litres of fuel was stolen from a fuel tank and sold to a person who in turn sold the fuel to others. Police Deputy Commissioner William Peter said fuel truck drivers are colluding with the people on the ground by either giving them large quantities of fuel to sell, or selling the oil directly to ‘distributors’. Eight suspects have so far been rounded up in connection with the two incidents, and the police expect to arrest more suspects involved in the selling and buying of stolen fuel. The value of the fuel stolen in the two cases is estimated at N$17 800. Peter said fuel theft is very dangerous because the thieves do not follow safety regulations while handling and storing such flammables. “Suspects may store fuel in plastic containers, which is strictly prohibited as the container may easily burst or catch fire which could be a threat to human lives,” he said. Peter added that it is also dangerous to refill cars or machinery in open spaces where fuel could be exposed to excessive heat and combust. Peter warned the public not to buy fuel from anyone other than authorised fuel dealers. “We are also requesting the public to report any suspicious dealing or movement of unauthorised fuel to the nearest police station, to the nearest headman or to the Women and Men Network in the area. This is the only way we can manage to curb crime in our region,” the officer said. OSHAKATI MERJA IILEKA