Mashudu Mambo
BOSS Petroleum Investments, a fuel company in Bulawayo, was caught operating without a licence by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera).
The company’s representative Marian Mpofu appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Nomagugu Maphosa to answer charges of operating a service station without a licence, in violation of Section 29 of the Petroleum Act.
The company pleaded guilty to the charge and was remanded to I November for sentencing.
In mitigation Mpofu apologised for operating without a licence.
The court heard that on 3 October at around 12pm, Delight Dabengwa, the regional compliance officer for Zera, was on duty checking for licences when he arrived at Boss Petroleum Investments.
Upon finding that Boss Petroleum Investments was operating without a licence, Dabengwa gave them a grace period of seven days to get licensed.
When he returned on the stipulated date, he found that the company was still operating without a licence, and he arrested them.