By Yankho Kalulu.

Phalombe, April 30, Mana: Police in Phalombe arrested four men for allegedly possessing and attempting to externalize petroleum products without a permit, as Phalombe court fined a convict for possessing such products.

Phalombe Police Publicist, Sergeant Jimmy Kapanja, confirmed the arrest and identified the suspects as Charles Yohane, 21, from Chinani Village and Frank Mapeto, 25, from Nthambuka Village, both from Traditional Authority Chiwalo in Phalombe.

Other suspects are: Jailosi Yohane, 35, from Mombo Village Traditional Authority Jenala in Phalombe and Gabriel Petrol, 31, from Mulakera, Zambezia Province in Mozambique.

Kapanja said all four were arrested for being found with various quantities of petrol and diesel.

“The arrests were made during a sweeping exercise on April 26, 2025, at Chitekesa and Miseufolo in Phalombe. The four suspects were found with 260 litres of petrol and 100 litres of diesel in 20-litre jerricans, while 520 litres of petrol were abandoned but recovered at Miseufolo, with the owner still unknown,” he added.

Phalombe Police Station publicist said the four suspects will appear in court soon to answer charges related to possession and extramising petroleum products without a permit.

Police in the district assure the public that they will continue to deal with illicit petroleum trade within the district.

In a similar incident, Phalombe second Grade Magistrate Court convicted and ordered Boniface Kasoti, 32, from Nthenda Village, Traditional Authority Chiwalo, to pay a fine of K600,000 after police arrested him for possessing petroleum products without a permit on April 18.