NAFDAC Headquarters

Akin Kuponiyi

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, has arraigned the Chairman of Sabon Gari Patent & Proprietary Medicine Dealers Association, Kano Valentine Duru Ndukwe before a Federal high court in Lagos over alleged importation of fake drugs.

Also arraigned alongside, the defendant, are two others namely, Bernard Chinweuba, and Duru Valentine Chinwike and a limited liability company Vanchris  Pharmaceutical Nigeria Limited.

When the amended charge was read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty. Thereafter, their counsel applied for their bail. The NAFDAC prosecuting counsel, Barrister Barth Simon, did not oppose their bail, rather he told the court to give conditions that will compel the defendants to attend their trial.

In his ruling for bail the presiding Judge Ayokunle Faji admitted the Defendants to bail in the sum of an N7million, with two sureties each, in which one of the sureties will be a property owner within the jurisdiction of the Court, the two sureties must also file their affidavit of mean before the court.

Thereafter, Justice Faji adjourned till 27 June 2013 for trial

The two-count charge was filed before the court by the NAFDAC prosecutor, Barrister Barth Simon.

COUNT 1

That you, Vanchris Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Limited located in Kano, Duru

Valentine Chinwike, Male, Adult, 30 Years old, of Fountain Estate off Airport

Road, Kano State and Valentine Duru Ndukwe (Chairman of Sabon Gari Patent & Proprietary Medicine Dealers Association, Kano), Male, Adult, 58 Years old of No 54, Yoruba Road, Sabon Gari, Kano, on or about the 8th day of September 2022, at No. 9 Olorogun Street, Idumota, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did aid one Mr Bernard Chinweuba, Male, Adult, 47 years old, of D330, Sabon Gari Market, Kano/ No 1. Enugu Road, Sabon Gari, Kano, to import fake drugs to wit:-

Diclofenac Tablets BP 50mg (Diclosa 50), Coldtime Anti-cold Tablets, Sonidrex

Tablets, 50mg, Collcap (Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules BP 4mg), and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(c) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. C34, LFN, 2004 and punishable under Section 3 of the same Act.

COUNT 2

That you, Bernard Chinweuba, Male, Adult, 47 years old, of D330, Sabon Gari

Market, Kano/ No 1. Enugu Road, Sabon Gari, Kano, on or about the 8th day of September,22, at No 9 Olorogun Street, Idumota, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, did import unregistered drugs, to wit:

Tablets, Diclofenac Tablets BP 50mg(Diclosa 50)  Coldtime Anti-cold Tablets, Sonidex Tablets,50mg, Collcap (Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules BP 4mg) and thereby committed an offence contrary to  Section 1(1) of the Food, Drugs and Related Products (Registration ETC)Act Cap F33, LFN 2004 and punishable under Section 6 of the same Act.