Court Sentences Graduate to Five Years Imprisonment for Making Fake Drugs

Court Sentences Graduate to Five Years Imprisonment for Making Fake Drugs

For manufacturing, distributing and selling fake drugs, a Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State, has sentenced one Osita Paul Eli to five years imprisonment without an option of fine.

Prior to the judgment, the 35-year-old graduate had been standing trial since October 2015 for manufacturing, distributing and selling fake drugs and other related act.

According to a statement made available to media by the Spokesperson for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Anslem Okonkwor, Eli was arrested at his residence in Asaba on September 9, 2015, by NAFDAC operatives.

He said the arrest followed a tip-off where cartons of already produced and packaged fake drugs, machines and other equipment used for the production were also recovered before he was handed over to the police for prosecution.

The statement read in part: "During his arraignment last year, Eli had initially pleaded not guilty to a seven-count charge preferred against him, but later admitted guilt during further court proceedings that he indulged in the fake drugs manufacturing business to earn a living and meet his financial demands.

"Osita Paul Eli, a graduate of economics from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, had also claimed to be first offender through his counsel, Mr. Emeka Nathaniel Orji, and pleaded for his leniency.

"But the lead prosecuting counsel, Umar Shamaki, vehemently opposed the submission, and urged the court to sentence the accused in accordance with the law, arguing that offence committed by him was grave enough to send him to jail.

"Shamaki, relying on the result of the laboratory analysis of the sampled against the accused, showed that no active ingredient expected in the drugs was presented.