Nairobi — A Sibed Transporters Company Ltd driver has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Kiambu court for stealing 44,000 litres of petroleum worth Sh5.7 million, which belonged to Vivo Energy Uganda.
Sibed Transporters LTD is an integrated logistics company that deals with the road transportation of bulk liquids across East and Central Africa.
Kamugisha Mustafa Ismail, alias Mugisha Mustafa, was convicted by Principal Magistrate Wilson Rading after Prosecutor Lindsey Mugambi proved that he had stolen the petroleum in Eldoret, with the intention of taking it to Uganda.
In an attempt to cover up his crime, Kamugisha set fire to the tanker.
"He set the tanker on fire at Malaba Border to conceal evidence," ODPP said Wednesday.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said Wednesday that the prosecution had presented a similar 24-wheeler tanker to demonstrate that it takes longer than five minutes to open all seven tank seals.
The defense had claimed that Kamugisha had only taken five minutes to open the seals to prevent an explosion.
The prosecution also called on fire experts to demonstrate how different products burn, showing that the trailer had slowly burnt out and did not explode because it did not have fuel.
