Company directors to appear in court for alleged importation of fake drugs

By Innocent Anaba
LAGOS — National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has filed a four-count charge of importing fake drugs, worth millions of naira against two Directors of two Nigerian companies before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

The accused are Mr Ukogu Donatus, Nnaji Chukwudi, Divine Favour Overseas Ltd and Ed Worr Biz Concerns Ltd. Meanwhile, the accused persons will be formally arraigned in court today.

The charge preferred against them read: “That you, Ukogu Donatus,  a Director of Divine Favour Overseas Limited, and Divine Favour Overseas Limited, being a limited liability company registered under Nigerian law, on or about  May 20, 2009 at Lagos, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this court imported fake drugs, to wit:  960 cartons of ‘Maioxine tablet’ containing 348,000 of three tablets each which had only the active ingredient ‘sulfadioxine’ from China, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap C34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 3(l)(a) and (2) of the same Act.”

* That you, Donatus, a Director of Divine Favour Overseas Limited, and Divine Favour Overseas Ltd, being a limited liability company registered under Nigerian Law, on or about  May 20, 2009 at Lagos, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this court imported fake drugs, to wit:  196 cartons of ‘Amalar Tablet’ containing  294,000 of three  tablets each which had only the active ingredient ‘sulfadioxine’ from China, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section l[a] of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods [Miscellaneous Provisions] Act Cap C34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 3[l](a) and [2] of the same Act.

* That you, Nnaji  Chukwudi,  a Director of Ed Worr Biz Concerns Limited and Ed Worr Biz Concerns Ltd, being a limited liability company registered under Nigerian Law, on or about May 20, 2009 at Lagos, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this court did aid and abet Ukogu Donatus and Divine Favour Overseas Ltd  to import fake drugs to wit:  960 cartons of ‘Maloxine Tablet’ containing 348,000 of three tablets each which had only the active ingredient ‘sulfadioxine’ from China and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section l[i] [c] of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods [Miscellaneous Provisions] Act Cap C34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 3[l](a) and [2] of the same Act.

That you, Chukwudi a Director of ED Worr Biz Concerns Limited and Ed Worr Biz Concerns Ltd, being a limited liability company registered under Nigerian Law, on or about May 20, 2009 at Lagos, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this court did aid and abet Donatus and Divine Favour Overseas Ltd to import fake drugs to wit:  196 cartons of  Amalar Tablet’ containing 294,000 of three tablets each which had only the active ingredient ‘sulfadioxine’ from China and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section l[ii] [a] of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods [Miscellaneous Provisions] Act Cap C34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 3[l](a) and [2] of the same Act.