A 49-year-old airport employee, Jacob Mutemeri, has been arrested for allegedly stealing Jet A1 fuel from a grounded Air Zimbabwe aircraft at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare.
The theft came to light following maintenance work on the aircraft, a Boeing 737, which had been parked for repairs after arriving from Botswana on November 8, 2024.
The aircraft, nicknamed “Mbuya Nehanda,” had been grounded due to a reported fuel leak and still contained 6.3 tonnes of fuel when Mutemeri, who works for Air Zimbabwe, allegedly took advantage of the situation.
According to reports, Mutemeri began siphoning the fuel starting November 15, 2024.
He drove an Air Zimbabwe Nissan Navara vehicle to the hangar at night and, under the cover of darkness, transferred the fuel into containers before exiting the airport via Gate A3.
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The theft was repeated on subsequent nights, including November 16 and 18.
The scheme was uncovered on November 22, 2024, when maintenance technicians discovered the missing fuel while inspecting the aircraft.
A report was promptly filed with authorities, which led to Mutemeri’s arrest. He appeared before a Harare magistrate and was charged with theft.
Mutemeri, who had been working for the airline for some time, was granted bail of US$150, and his case is set to be heard again on January 23, 2025.
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The investigation is ongoing, with authorities focusing on ensuring that such incidents do not recur.
This case has raised concerns about security at the airport and the potential risks posed by insider thefts.
Authorities are urging all employees to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, especially when dealing with highly valuable resources such as jet fuel.