Greedy Igbo men remanded by Court for importing N10bn expired drugs

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday ordered the prison remand of one Kennedy

Okereke, alias Agama, who allegedly imported into the country 49 different brands of fake drugs and products estimated at N10bn.

Okereke was remanded alongside one Uchendu Oledibe, his accomplice, with whom he allegedly committed the offence on March 2, 2015.

According to the charges filed against them, the accused operated at five different bases in Lagos, from where they allegedly labelled and circulated the counterfeit and expired drugs to innocent or unsuspecting members of the general public.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control listed the bases as  Mosco Shonubi Close, Shangisha; Okunowo Street, Ikosi, Ketu; Bello Street, Ikosi, Ketu; Iddo Terminus; and Consolidated Warehouse, Oyingbo, Lagos State.

Okereke and Oledibe were, on Friday, arraigned before Justice Mohammed Yunusa on 12 counts bordering on importation, labelling and circulation of counterfeit and expired drugs to the public.

The NAFDAC prosecutor, Mr. Umar Shamaki, said the offence contravened, among other laws of the land, Section 1 (a) of the Counterfeit, Fake Drug and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap C34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

He added that the two accused were liable to be punished under Section 3 (1) (a) of the same Act.

But when the charges were read to them, Okereke and Oledibe pleaded not guilty.

The agency, however, listed among various other counterfeited proprietary brands of drugs allegedly imported and labelled by the accused persons, Tarivid 200mg tablet; Augmentin 625mg tablet; Proviron tablet; Novasc 10mg tablet; Glucophage 500mg tablet; Cotecxin tablet; Rectin – A Cream; Regroton tablet; Clomid tablet; Loratyn-10 tablet and Cytotec-200mg tablet.

Also listed were Lexotan tablet, Tegretol tablet, Nizoral 200mg tablet; Analgin injection; Vitalas Tetanus injection; Viagra 100mg tablet among several others.

Shamaki alleged that the accused loaded the products into a container measuring over 20 by 40 feet in dimension.

Following their arraignment, the prosecutor said, “My Lord, in view of the not guilty plea of the accused, may I humbly ask for a day for trial. But before then, My Lord, may I ask the court for an order remanding the accused persons in prison custody pending trial.”

But the defence counsel, Mr. Michael Imonah, urged the court to turn down the prosecution’s prayer to remand his clients, saying he had already filed bail applications and served on the prosecutor.

Imonah said, “My Lord, we would not be opposing the prayer for a date for trial but with due respect, we have filed an application in respect of their bail and the application is dated March 27, 2015.

“In respect of the first accued person, we have served the prosecuting counsel and I wish to plead with your Lordship to move the application.”

Shamaki, however, said he was only served with the bail application on Friday morning in court, adding that he was opposed to it and  would require time to file appropriate response.

Yunusa consequently ordered the prison remand of the accused persons and adjourned till April 1, 2015, to entertain their applications for bail.