Septuagenarian Sent To Prison For Selling Fake Dangote Sugar

Posted on November 7, 2017

YAHAYA IBRAHIM

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the prison remand of a 72-year-old businesswoman, Esther Olufunmilayo Akinsanya, pending when it will hear her application for bail.

The septuagenarian was arraigned before the court alongside her company: Esther Olufunmilayo Akinsanya Nigeria Limited for allegedly selling adulterated Dangote Sugar.

The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC) arraigned her before Justice Ayotunde Faji, on charges bordering on conspiracy, unlawful importation and rebagging of unregistered sugar, distribution and selling of sugar not fortified with Vitamin.

According to the agency, the businesswoman was caught at her shop located at 1, Tailor Road, Iddo, Lagos, on August 2, 2017, where she and her workers were rebagging some unfortified Brazilian sugars into Dangote Sugar bags.

Some of the unfortified Brazilian granulated sugar that were allegedly rebagged into the Dangote sugar bags by the accused, according to NAFDAC are: Aqucar Crystal Sugar; Aqucar Special Crystal sugar; and Usina Belavista sugar.

The selling of the unfortified granulated sugars, were said to be contrary to NAFDAC Act, the court heard.

The prosecutor, Mr. Umar Shamaki told the court that the offences are contrary to sections 5(a), 1(1) of the Food and Drugs Act Cap l. F.33, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under sections 17(1) and (2), 8(1) and (2), 17(1) and (2) and 6 (1) (a) and (b) of the same Act”.

But the accused person pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following the plea of the defendant, her lawyer, Fayehun I. N., pleaded with the court for a short adjournment to enable him file proper bail application before the court.

According to him, the previous bail application he filed for his client was filed in August, when she was first brought to court, in anticipation that she would be arraigned then.

He pleaded with the court not to remand the defendant in prisons custody due to her state of health.

However, the prosecutor, opposed him and urged the court to remand her at Kirikiri prisons where she would be given medical attention.

According to him, NAFDAC, did not have a facility to harbour those that have been arraigned in court, adding that the statutory remand place is prisons.

Consequently, the trial judge, Justice Faji, ordered that the 72 years old woman be remanded in Kirikiri prisons, pending when her bail application will be heard.

The matter has been adjourned till Monday for hearing of the defendant’s bail application.

Categorised as : Crime, Uncategorized
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