By Biola Lawal
Abuja: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) battle against fake drugs yeilded results as a Federal High Court in Awka jailed Ogbodo Friday seven years in prison for falsifying Emzor paracetamol
Flowerbudnews recalls that NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye had recently ordered intensification of the Agency’s
operations against production and circulation of substandard and fake medicines nationwide.
Sentencing Friday, Justice H.A. Nganjiwa stated that the convict endangered lives of innocent consumers through circulation of fake drugs.
Justice Nganjiwa, who sentenced Friday without option of fine condemned the convict’s conduct.
Ogbodo was arrested by the Investigation and Enforcement officers of NAFDAC in his residence at 18, Abagana street, Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State where falsified Maldox (Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine) a brand of anti-malaria tablet manu
factured by a registered Nigerian Pharmaceutical Company, was recovered from him.
Operatives of the Agency acting on intelligence swooped on the convicts residence in Onitsha. When apprehended, Ogbodo confessed that he cut Emzor Paracetamol tables and repackaged them as Maldox (Sulfadoxine & Pyrimethamine) and supplied the same to undisclosed dealers in falsified Medical Products at the Head bridge market, Onitsha.
In a statement signed by the Resident Media Consultant to NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola, in Abuja on Wednesday, the convict claimed that he had been in the business of adulterating and falsifying medicines for more than a year, making huge returns.
Following the overwhelming evidence, the Agency charged him to court in Charge No: FHC/AWK/C/57/2021- between FRN V. OGBODO FRIDAY.
On 26th January 2022, he was arraigned at the Federal High Awka, Anambra State before Justice H.A. Nganjiwa on a two-count charge bordering on possession of Fake Maldox (Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine) and packaging of Emzor paracetamol in a manner that is misleading.
After Ogbodo Friday pleaded guilty to the offence, the Prosecution reviewed the facts thereafter and the Court convicted the Defendant on the two-count charge and sentenced him to five years in prison on count 1 and two years in prison on count 2 without an option of fine.
In his judgment, Justice Nganjiwa condemned the action of the convict, noting with dismay that many people could have died from ingestion of the fake maldox.
He emphasized the need for the Court to send the right message to other merchants of death who are still in the dangerous line of business. (Flowerbudnews)
