The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC has arraigned two men before a federal high court in Lagos over an alleged importation of fake drugs.
The defendants are a 47 year old Bernard Chinweuba, his company Vanchris Pharmaceutical Nig. Ltd and 30 year old Duru Chinwike, a fourth defendant who is also chairman of the Sabongari Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Association in Kano state, Valentine Ndukwe who is now at large.
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They are standing trial before Justice Ayokule Faji on a two-count charge bordering on alleged importation of fake and unwholesome drugs.
The defendants and the company pleaded not guilty to the charges and following their bill application filed on their behalf by the counsel Mr Ikechukwu Anima, the court granted them bail in the sum of 7 million naira each with with two sureties in like sum.
The judge also adjoined the case until March the 28th and the 29th 2023 for trial.
The prosecution, Mr Barth Simon, claimed in the accusation that the defendant committed the crime on September 8 in Idumota, Lagos.
He claimed that the act was perpetrated in Idumota in Lagos by Vanchris Pharmaceutical Nig. Ltd (second defendant), Chinwike (third defendant), and Ndukwe (fourth defendant), who is also the chairman of the Sabongari Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Association in Kano.
He claimed that the trio assisted the first defendant (Chinweuba) in the importation of the following counterfeit drugs: “Diclofenac BP 50mg (Diclosa 50), Coldtime anti-cold tablets, Sonidrex Tablet 50 mg, and Collcap (Chlopherniramine maleate capsules BP 4mg).”
The first defendant was accused of illegally importing the drugs with the intent of transporting them to Kano.
