HARARE - A manager at a petroleum firm has appeared before a Harare magistrate on allegations of swindling another company of fuel worth over $37 000.

Bernard Kizito Mvere, 54, the Downtown Petroleum general manager yesterday appeared before magistrate Anita Tshuma on fraud charges.

The court heard Mkhonto Sazini Dingani, one of the directors of M-Kay Petroleum, a company also in the fuel business, approached Mvere on August 18, this year, to discuss a business venture.

Dingani is a registered fuel dealer and supplies petrol and diesel in bulk to service stations, mines and different companies.

Mvere allegedly made a false representation that Downtown Petroleum wanted fuel and that he was authorised to handle the business transaction.

According to state papers, Mvere entered into a contract with Dingani, purportedly representing Downtown Petroleum, yet the company directors had not given him such mandate.

The two agreed that payment would be made after the delivery of the fuel.

It is alleged that Mvere began to place some small orders of petrol and diesel from Dingani, paying on time. Mvere allegedly placed an order of 30 238 litres of petrol which he was given at a price of $1,23 per litre on January 7, this year.

Dingani allegedly made a follow-up of his payment when it was due but Mvere did not honour up.

The court heard, Dingani made a follow-up with Downtown Petroleum directors who informed him that they had never authorised Mvere to enter into such a contract.

The matter was reported to the police leading to Mvere’s arrest.

Magistrate Tshuma released Mvere on a $500 bail.

He was ordered to surrender title deeds of his Chisipite house, his passport and to report twice every week to the police. - Ivan Zhakata