Duru Ndukwe and others are accused by NAFDAC of importing bogus medications.

Valentine Duru Ndukwe, the chairman of the Sabon Gari Patent & Proprietary Pharmaceutical Sellers Association in Kano, was charged by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday with importing bogus medications.

Bernard Chinweuba, Duru Valentine Chinwike, and the limited liability business Vanchris Pharmaceutical Nigeria Ltd were also arraigned in addition to the defendant.

The defendants all entered not-guilty pleas after hearing the updated allegation, and then their attorneys requested bail.

Lawyer Barth Simon, the prosecutor for NAFDAC, did not object to the defendant’s release on bail but instead urged the court to set conditions for them to appear at their trials.

The defendants were granted bail in the amount of N7 million with two sureties for each, one of whom must be a property owner within the court’s territorial jurisdiction, according to the presiding Judge Ayokunle Faji’s bail order. Also, the court must get the affidavit of means from the two sureties.

Judge Faji then postponed the trial until June 27, 2023.

The NAFDAC prosecutor, Lawyer Barth Simon, presented a two-count accusation to the court that read as follows:

COUNT 1

That on or around September 8, 2022, at No. 9 Olorogun Street, Idumota, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, 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

Coldtime Anti-cold Tablets; Sonidrex Tablets, 50mg; Collcap (Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules BP 4mg); and by doing so, they violated Section 1(c) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. C34, LFN, 2004, which is punishable under Section 3 of the same Act.

COUNT 2

That on or around September 8th, 22, at No. 9 Olorogun Street, Idumota, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honorable Court, you, Bernard Chinweuba, Male, Adult, 47 years old, of D330, Sabon Gari Market, Kano/No. Enugu Road, Sabon Gari, Kano, did import unregistered pharmaceuticals, specifically:

Tablets, Coldtime Anti-Cold Tablets, Sonidex Tablets, 50 mg, and Collcap (Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules BP 4 mg) and so violated Section 1(1) of the Food, Medicines and Related Products (Registration ETC) Act Cap F33, LFN 2004 and violated Section 6 of the same Act.