Four Suspects Arrested for Trying to Steal Jet Fuel at Wilson Airport
Four people have been arrested at Wilson Airport in Nairobi after they were caught attempting to remove 800 litres of jet fuel that had been drained from an aircraft.
The suspects were travelling in a Mitsubishi Canter truck when officers from the Kenya Airport Police Unit noticed suspicious behaviour and stopped the vehicle before it could leave the premises. Authorities acted quickly following the observation of unusual activity around the area.
The fuel had reportedly been taken from a plane undergoing maintenance at the NASD hangar. The aircraft belongs to Airworks Aviation. During a search of the truck, police discovered four drums, each containing 200 litres of jet fuel. One of the suspects, Gladys Ndumba Kanairo, was identified as the owner of the consignment. The vehicle lacked proper authorisation from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority to carry petroleum products, and no valid gate pass was presented.
The other three individuals arrested are the driver, Timothy Wambugu Maina, along with Kennedy Njoka Kinuthia and Abdulmalik Musinga. All four are currently in custody and are being prepared to appear in court. The truck and the recovered fuel have been seized as evidence in the ongoing investigation. Officials described the incident as an attempt to take advantage of the aircraft’s maintenance period to access the fuel illegally.
This case highlights ongoing security concerns at Kenyan airports regarding the theft of valuable aviation fuel. Such incidents not only pose safety risks but can also lead to significant financial losses for aviation companies. Authorities are expected to pursue the matter thoroughly to deter similar attempts in the future. The arrests come as a reminder of the need for strict monitoring and proper documentation when handling sensitive materials like jet fuel at major facilities.
