SON Warns Against Fake Products, 2 Businessmen Sentenced For Oil Adulteration

LUCKY LAWAL

The Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON, has warned Nigerians against adulterated products.

According to the report made available to P.M.EXPRESS, SON is assuring the consumers that  the Director General and management are working tirelessly to ensure that consumers get value for their money and that only standard and certified products are in the market. 

This has prompted the arrest and persecution of two businessmen at the Federal High Court.
According to the report,”The Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday convicted two men, Uche Johnson and Kingsley Meteke, for producing and distributing substandard engine oil. 

The two suspect who pleaded guilty to the offence, were convicted to two years imprisonment each by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyibo.

The suspects were charged with four counts charges of production, possession, dealing in and distribution of substandard engine oil According to the prosecution, the offence contravened the provisions of sections 1(8) and 1(8)(II) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 2004. 
And the accused confessed to have adulterated 128 drums and 9.45 liters of engine oil.

SON admitted the defendants indulged in production of engine oil which did not meet mandatory industrial standards.

The defendants claimed that the products were good for public consumption and for optimum engine performance, which prosecution said were false. 

The products were said to have failed to comply with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria’s (SON) Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP).

The defendants had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, but later changed their plea to guilty.

The sentence will begin from January 27, 2019, when the defendants were arrested.

Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Joseph Olofindare, said the judgment would serve as a deterrent to manufacturers and importers of substandard products. 

He said: “I want to tell all the genuine manufacturers and consumers that they should not be despondent or complacent. SON is there to prosecute any offender”. 

“It’s a judgment that will send a message to the public that SON is working tirelessly under the leadership of Osita Aboloma.”

SON also advises importers and manufacturers to bring in products that are certified under Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) and SON Conformity  Assessment Programme  (SONCAP) otherwise the fate that befell these individuals will also befall those who are indulging in product adulteration.