By Onoja Baba
A court in Sri Lanka has sentenced a 48-year-old man to three weeks in jail and fined him 1,500 rupees (about $5) for hoarding four litres of petrol during the country’s deepening fuel crisis triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The incident occurred in Nikaweratiya, about 125 kilometres from Colombo.
According to local reports, the magistrate found the man guilty of hoarding fuel and attempting to sell it on the black market in violation of strict rationing rules.
The suspect had initially claimed the four litres were for personal use.
Sri Lanka is currently enforcing tight fuel distribution controls, allowing motorists to purchase fuel only on alternate days as supplies continue to dwindle.
Officials have warned that diesel stocks are expected to last only until mid-May, while petrol reserves may run out about a week later.
Fuel prices in the country have already surged by roughly one-third in recent weeks due to disruptions in global energy markets caused by the Middle East conflict.
In response to the crisis, President Dissanayake has engaged in diplomatic talks with Russian Deputy Energy Minister Roman Marshavin to secure additional oil supplies. Russia has expressed willingness to support Sri Lanka in mitigating the impact of the ongoing conflict on its energy sector.
The sentencing serves as a strong warning to citizens against fuel hoarding and black market activities as the government struggles to manage dwindling reserves
and rising prices.
categories
recent posts
NIGERIA: Sowore Defends Himself In Court, Seeks Judge’s Recusal In Cybercrime Trial
