16th February, 2012
Detectives from the Lagos State Police Command and National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, task force on counterfeit and unwholesome drugs have mounted a manhunt for some people who are producing and selling fake and adulterated Peak powdered milk.
Sources close to NAFDAC told P.M.NEWS that the suspected fake producers of the adulterated Peak Milk are based in both Lagos, southwest Nigeria, and Aba, Abia State, southeast Nigeria. Three of the suspects who have been arrested have been arraigned before an Ikeja Chief magistrate court while criminal charges have been filed against four others at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The three accused persons, Ndubusi Okafor, Chukwudi Nwosu and his sales boy were arrested with eight bags of Peak Milk foils when their shops at Ojota and their illegal factory in Aba, were raided.
Investigation revealed that the accused persons colluded with some staff of WAMPCO Nigeria Plc, producers of Peak Milk, to steal labels from the company which they use for the packaging of their fake brand of Peak Milk. The three accused persons who pleaded not guilty were granted bail in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties in like sum while the case was adjourned till 29 February, 2012 for trial.
Meanwhile, NAFDAC prosecuting counsel, Mr. Offiong E. Okon, has filed a five-count criminal charge number FHC/L/337C/11 before a Federal High Court in Lagos against four accused persons arrested by NAFDAC task force for producing and distributing adulterated Peak powdered milk for sale.
In the said charge, Mr. Offiong alleged that the four accused persons, Ukewueze Festus of number 2 Sonaya Street, Off Sule Idimangoro, Agege, Lagos, Ajobiewe John of 74, Oniwaya Street, Agege market, Samson Erisco Abuchi of 42, Oniwaya, Agege market and Augustine Mgbeafuluba of 68, Oniwaya Market, Agege sometimes in July, 2011 distributed adulterated Peak powdered milk to members of the public and thereby committed an offence contrary to section (1) (a ) (b) and ( c) of the counterfeit and fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods act 25 of 1999 cap C 34 law of the federation.
The NAFDAC prosecutor further alleged that all the accused persons same time and place conspired among themselves to sell adulterated Peak powdered milk to members of the public.
When the matter was mentioned the accused persons were not in court and the presiding judge adjourned the case till next week when the accused would be arraigned before the court.
—Akin Kuponiyi