Jet Fuel Heist: Inside the Arrest of an Airport Employee
A 49-year-old Air Zimbabwe employee, Jacob Mutemeri, has been arrested and charged with theft for allegedly stealing Jet A1 fuel from a grounded Air Zimbabwe Boeing 737 aircraft at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The aircraft, known as “Mbuya Nehanda,” arrived from Botswana on November 8, 2024, and was parked for maintenance due to a reported fuel leak, with approximately 6.3 tonnes of fuel onboard.
Between November 15 and 22, 2024, Mutemeri is accused of repeatedly siphoning fuel from the plane during nighttime hours. He allegedly used an Air Zimbabwe Nissan Navara vehicle to access the hangar, drained the fuel into containers, and exited the premises through Gate A3.
The theft was discovered on November 22 during maintenance work addressing the reported leak, leading to Mutemeri’s arrest. He appeared before a Harare magistrate, was granted bail of US$150, and is scheduled to reappear in court on January 23, 2025.