Air Zim Worker’s Fuel Run Ends with a Legal Pit Stop
A 49-year-old Air Zimbabwe employee is in hot soup for allegedly stealing fuel straight out of a parked airplane. Jacob Mutemeri, who works at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, apparently thought a Boeing 737’s fuel tank was his personal gas station.
Mutemeri showed up in court facing theft charges, where he was granted US$150 bail. He’ll be back on January 23, 2025, probably without his favorite jerrycan.
This all started on November 8, 2024, when the Air Zimbabwe Boeing 737, nicknamed “Mbuya Nehanda,” landed from Botswana. The plane was leaking and needed some TLC in the maintenance area, but it still had 6.3 tonnes of Jet A1 fuel onboard. That’s when Mutemeri allegedly saw his golden—or should we say jet-fueled—opportunity.
From November 15 to 22, Mutemeri reportedly made nightly pit stops at the plane. Armed with containers and his trusty Nissan Navara, he’d roll up, siphon off some fuel, and cruise away through Gate A3 like it was just another day at the office. By November 18, it was practically a routine. You’d think he was stocking up for a backyard airshow!
But every great heist has its downfall. On November 22, maintenance workers finally realized the “leak” wasn’t mechanical. Nope, it was Mutemeri’s midnight fuel raids! A report was filed, and he was promptly arrested.
Now, as the court date looms, we can’t help but wonder: was Mutemeri chasing a side hustle, or was this his version of a midlife crisis? Either way, it’s clear he took the term “ground operations” way too literally!
