Published by the government of Zimbabwe
John Kachembere
6 January 2009
Harare — PETROLEUM giant, BP and Shell Marketing Services has complied with the High Court order compelling the company to release over 20 000 kilogrammes of liquid petroleum gas to a local company Vesbin Investments.
Vesbin senior director Mr Levy Pazvakavambwa yesterday confirmed that BP has since last week been releasing the consignment to Vesbin.
Last week, the High Court ordered BPSMS to release 20 280kg of liquid petroleum gas it is said to have wrongly withheld from Vesbin for nearly two years.
"BP has complied with the (High) Court ruling and I can safely say we have been getting part of the gas consignment since last week," said Mr Pazvakavambwa.
He however, could not reveal the amount of gas that has been released so far.
While BP has began releasing gas to Vesbin, the gas company said it was prejudiced of US$181 million during the 22 months BP and Shell wrongly withheld the consignment.
The High Court is yet to make the ruling.
BP Shell Marketing Services chief executive Mr Roderick Kusanhi could neither confirm nor deny that his company was complying with the High Court order.
"I cannot give a comment as of now because there are things going on between the two companies," he said.
"We would not want to be seen fighting in the newspapers. We would be issuing a statement as soon as things settle down."
Vesbin, in February 2007, reached an agreement with BP Shell Marketing Services to store its gas, but a dispute arose after the latter was said to have wrongly appropriated the product after erroneously recording that the client had withdrawn it from its account.
Vesbin lodged an urgent court application early in December seeking the release of the gas consignment after BPSMS denied liability after initially admitting that it was indebted to the indigenous company.
In his ruling Justice Yunus Omarjee also ordered BP and Shell to meet the costs of the suit.
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