UNN graduate bags 7-year jail term for manufacturing, selling fake drugs

The National Agency for Food, Drugs, Administration and Control, NAFDAC, on Wednesday, charged a 35-year old woman, Onah Clara to court for selling fake drugs.

Clara, an indigene of Enugu state and a Microbiology graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, resides at 12, Mosalashi Street, Alagbado Lagos state.

The prosecutor, Mr. Shamaki Umar, told the Federal High Court in Lagos that the accused sold fake brand of 200 mg of Amazon Amagyl Metronidazole tablets.

Umar presented the laboratory analysis of the confiscated drugs which showed that they were fake and contained 20 rather than 200 milligrams.

The prosecutor urged the court to impose the maximum sentence, saying, “When she was asked to show the operatives of NAFDAC where the drugs were being manufactured, she took them to an unknown address that does not exist.

“When they eventually traced her residence, they discovered items she used in manufacturing the drugs such as weighing scales and labels.

“With all intent and purpose my lord, she was manufacturing them herself. Therefore, I urge my lord to award maximum sentence as provided by law so as to serve as deterrence to others,” the prosecutor noted, adding that the offences contravened the provisions of Section 1(1) (a), 3, and 3 (1) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Unwholesome Processed Foods, (Miscellaneous Provision) Act Cap 34, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

But the convict’s counsel, Mr Chinedu Moore, pleaded for leniency and urged the court to tamper justice with mercy.

He submitted that his client was a first time offender who did not have the intent to manufacture or sell fake drugs.

Meanwhile, the accused pleaded guilty to a five-count charge of possession and sale of fake drugs.

Clara, however, pleaded for mercy, saying she didn’t know the drugs were fake.

The Chief Judge, Justice Chuka Obiozor, in his judgment said, “I will give you a second chance as a first offender but those who took your drugs and died had no second chance,” the judge said.

Obiozor scolded the convict for being a 2:1 UNN graduate who chose to deal in fake drugs instead of staying in the village to find something worthy to do, if she could not get a decent job in Lagos.

“Clara Onah, you are hereby sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the women wing of the Kirikiri Maximum Prison on each of the counts.

“They are to run concurrently starting from January 26, when you were arrested and detained.

“The prosecution should hold on to the exhibits pending the elapse of the time of appeal of this judgment. At the elapse of appeal window, the prosecution should destroy it,” the chief judge ruled.

The convict was also fined N50, 000 on count five.