By Correspondent in Awka.
For endangering the lives of millions of unsuspected members of public in Nigeria through circulation of fake drugs,a middle aged man, Ogbodo Friday, has been jailed seven years imprisonment without option of fine by a Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State.
Our Correspondent gathered that the sentence came at the time when the war being waged against the circulation of substandard and falsified medicines in Nigeria, by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC has started registering the desired success.
Sources said that Friday was apprehended by the Investigation and Enforcement officers of NAFDAC at 18, Abagana street, Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State, where falsified Maldox (Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine) and a brand of anti-malaria tablet,manufactured by a registered Nigerian Pharmaceutical Company, were found in his possession.
The online publication further gathered that Friday’s arrest was effected when operatives of the Agency, acting on intelligence, swooped on his residence in Onitsha and upon arrest, he confessed to have committed the offence.
He further revealed that he cut Emzor Paracetamol tablets, repackaged them as Maldox (Sulfadoxine & Pyrimethamine) and supplied the same to undisclosed dealers in falsified Medical Products at the Head Bridge market, Onitsha.
In a statement signed by the Resident Media Consultant to NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola in Abuja on Wednesday, the convict disclosed that he had been in sbusiness of adulterating and falsifying medicines for more than a year, making huge returns.
Our Correspondent recalls that based on Friday’s confession, coupled with the overwhelming evidence against him, NAFDAC charged him to court on Charge No: FHC/AWK/C/57/2021- between FRN V. OGBODO FRIDAY.
He, therefore, appeared before Justice H.A. Nganjiwa on a two-count charge bordering on possession of fake Maldox (Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine) and packaging of Emzor paracetamol in a misleading.manner.
The prosecution reviewed the facts, thereafter, and the court convicted Friday on the two-count charge and jailed him five years on count one and two years on count two without an option of fine.
Justice Nganjiwa, in a judgement, condemned the convict adding that many people could have died from his illegal action, stressing that the court needed to send the right message to other merchants of death still in the dangerous line of business to let them face judgement and to serve as deterrence to others in the society.
Reacting to judgement,the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, commended the judiciary for rising to the occasion at a time it was needed.
She expressed the commitment of NAFDAC to ensure that the likes of Friday still in the business of falsifying medicines to make money at the expense of the lives of fellow Nigerians were made to face Justice to deter others in their shoe.
The NAFDAC boss vowed that other similar cases in court would be pursued to the logical end, to safeguard the lives of the citizenry.
She, however, urged members of the public to always assist NAFDAC with useful information in its quest to rid the nation of fake drugs and other unwholesome food products.
“When you see something, say something,”she urged the people, adding that that amounted to collective war against the merchants of death profiteering from circulating falsified and substandard medicines at the detriment of health of members of the public.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
