By Akin Kuponiyi
A 40-year-old Lagos-based businessman, Chinedu Okafor who is also a proprietor Sky Blue Company has been arraigned in court for manufacturing fake Eagle Aromatic Schnapps, Lord’s Dry Gin, and other as well as well as alcoholic products by the National Agency for Food Drug and Administrative Control, NAFDAC.
Okafor was arraigned before a Federal high court in Lagos on Friday.
In an eight-count charge filed before the court, Barrister B. Simon alleged that Okafor of MTN Road, Badagry, Lagos was arrested on 26th April 2024, in his residence with unwholesome processed food to wit:-Apple Multi-fruit Juice Wine, Eagle Aromatic Schnapps and Lord’s Gin and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 1(c) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drug and Unwholesome Processed Food (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. C34, Law of Federation, 2004, and punishable under Section 3 of the same Act.
Okafor was also alleged to have illegally manufactured Apple Multi-fruit Juice Wine, Eagle Aromatic Schnapps, and Lord’s Gin, without registration and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 1(1) of the Food, Drugs and Related Products (Registration, ETC) Act, Cap. F33, LFN, 2004, and punishable under Sections 6 and 8 of the same Act.
The defendant was also alleged to have engaged in the distribution of the unwholesome products manufactured by him. The unwholesome products were alleged to have been manufactured under unsanitary conditions.
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
Consequently, the presiding Judge, Justice Lewis Allagoa, while adjourning till the 10th of July,2024 for the trial to commence, ordered the defendant to be remanded in the custody of correctional services.
