‘Fake Drugs’: Drama As NDLEA Arraigns Pharmaceutical Dealers

Some medicine dealers have been dragged before a Federal High Court, by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Wednesday in Lagos, over the alleged importation of fake tablets

The defendants are Bernard Chinweuba, 47; his company Vanchris Pharmaceutical Nig. Ltd, Duru Chinwike, 30; and Valentine Ndukwe (now at large).

They are standing trial before Justice Ayokule Faji on a two-count charge bordering on the importation of fake and unwholesome drugs.

The first defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and the third defendant who also represented the company (second defendant) also pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following a bail application filed on behalf of the defendants by the defence counsel, Mr Ikechukwu Anima, the court granted the defendants bail in the sum of N7 million with two sureties in like sum.

He adjourned the case until March 28 and 29, 2023 for trial.

In the charge, the prosecutor Mr Barth Simon alleged that the defendant committed the offence on Sept. 8 at Idumota in Lagos.

He alleged that Vanchris Pharmaceutical Nig. Ltd (second defendant), Chinwike (third defendant) and Ndukwe (fourth defendant) who is also chairman of the Sabongari Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Association in Kano committed the offence at Idumota in Lagos.

He alleged that the trio aided the first defendant (Chinweuba) to import the following fake 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 alleged to have imported the said drugs contrary to lawful provisions with a plan to move them down to Kano.