Man, 32,Remanded For Diverting Pharmaceutical Company’s Drugs Worth N13.5m

MICHAEL AKINOLA 

A 32-year old man, Yusuf Abdulazeez, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly obtaining and diverting a pharmaceutical company’s drugs valued N13. 5m, belonging to Micronova Pharmaceutical Industries Limited.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Billings Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos.

According to the Police,  the suspect fraudulently and dishonestly obtained the drugs, sold them and diverted the money instead of remitting same money to the company.

The matter was reported to the Police at Area F Command in Ikeja. The suspectt was arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over his alleged conduct against the company.

After interrogation, the Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.

The charges read:

“That you, Yusuf Abdulazeez, sometime in 2024 at Billings Way, Oregun, Ikeja in the magisterial district, did fraudulently and dishonestly convert the sum of Thirteen Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Ten Naira (N13,598,010.00) to your own use the money being the proceeds you realized from the medical drugs stocks supplied to you for distribution, property of one Micronova Pharmaceutical Industries Limited and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”

COUNT II:”That you, Yusuf Abdulazeez on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did obtain some medical drugs such as Misopt Eye Drop 600 Packs, Eloboid Dx 10 300 Units, Floboid Eye Drops 5 150 Packs, Lubrex Eye Drops 10ml 100 Packs, Dapsim 5mg 30 Packs, Diapride Plus 2 100 Packs, Dibimet 500 SR 100 Packs, Korob Eye Drops 5ml 200 units, Rapidon-Eye Drops 5ml 300 Packs. Micromox Eye Drops 5ml 150 Units, Misopt Eye Drops 5ml 550 Packs among, others valued the sum of Thirteen Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Ten Naira (N13,598,010.00) with the purpose of distributing same but deliberately converted to an unknown destination property of one Micronova Pharmaceutical Industries Limited and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 314 of criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”

However, he pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Supol Josephine Ihkayere, asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.

The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. L.A. Owolabi, granted him bail in the sum of N400,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.

The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.