National Agency for Food Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) has arraigned an importer, Afamefuna Udensi, Director of Phini Pharm Pharmaceutical Limited, who was suspected to have faked, imported and distributed Tramadol.
The suspect, Udensi was arraigned before Justice Emeka Isiagor, Court 6, of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday, November, 10, 2021 with case number FHCL/294/C/21.
In the charges the prosecutor, Mrs Chinyere Okoli, told the court that the defendant who resides at No 2, Ezinwanne St. in Onitsha, Anambra, committed the offence on Oct. 26.
She said that he had imported 100g of Phini Tramadol which were discovered to be unregistered and consequently fake.
She said that the offences contravened the provisions of sections 1(c), 1(1) and 3(1) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods, (Miscellaneous provisions Act, Cap C34, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
The offence also contravened the provisions of section 1(1) of the Food, Drug and Related Products (Registration) Act, Cap F33, Law of the Federation, 2004.
After the plea of the defendant, Defence Counsel, Mr Emeka Okpoko (SAN), informed the court that the defendant was granted administrative bail by the police, and urged to appear for his arraignment today.
He told the court that he had yet to file his motion for bail and so, would do the needful in no time.
After the arraignment the court adjourned the case until Nov. 15, for hearing of the bail application.
The judge ordered the defendant to be remanded in the correctional service Alagbon, pending bail.
Phini Pharm (belonging to Afamefuna) allegedly in a premeditated attempt to beat NAFDAC PID at the port of entry, concealed the fake products with furniture and motor spare parts in groupage from China.
According to the regulatory agency, “The original product that NAFDAC registered belongs to Macdec Pharmaceutical. However, the cartel (a major counterfeiter is a Nigerian in China) then counterfeited first the registered version and secondly the Phini Tramadol 100mg using the NAFDAC No. of the Macdec. A random sample purchased from the market before investigations led us to Afamefuna (suspect) had zero active ingredient.
“On receipt of the petition, I&E investigative team liaised with Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IGP-IRT) and the petitioner to track, trace and arrest the suspects connected to this case. After the suspects were arrested by the IGP-IRT, the team transferred three suspects including Afam Udensi ‘M’, Nnamadi Uzorma ‘M’ and Ezenduka Chikoda ‘F’ and 144 cartons of Tramadol 100mg to the NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate.
“In the same vein, I&E gathered intelligence on a warehouse at Onitsha, Anambra State belonging to the Clearing Agent of the suspected kingpin of the syndicate and a raid operation was conducted. During the raid, operatives recovered 171 cartons of the products purportedly smuggled in from China. It was also observed that some of the cartoons had the names of the suspect written on them.”
Chinyere Okoli, Principal Legal Officer to NAFDAC, speaking to the media after the arraignment said “This is a transferred case from the police, emerging from counterfeiting an existing registered drug and also importation of zero active ingredient of tramadol, so the police transferred the case to us, of course NAFDAC, you know is saddled with the responsibility of regulatory and also control of drugs. We are in court today, he has been arraigned and though he has pleaded not guilty to the charges, the court will take its course as we go on,” She stated.
On her agreement that the suspect be granted bail she said “Of course, in as much as we are all in the temple of justice we should also look at someone’s health. It is not good we allow him to die, he took ill this morning and taken to the hospital.”
