Fake insecticide: Kano court adjourns case against Indian

THE Federal High Court sitting in Kano has adjourned further hearing in the case of illegal importation, circulation and distribution of cloned RAMBO insecticide, property of Gongoni Limited, brought against an Indian, Vijay Lawalni, by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NAFDAC) to January 12, 2011.

The accused person, who was arrested by the police in Kano early last month and handed over to NAFDAC officials, made his first appearance before the court last Tuesday, though prosecution began December 7.

When the case came up on December 14, counsel to the accused, Maxwell Duru, argued that the case against his client was not properly brought before the court and prayed for the accused to be discharged on the ground of duplicity.

According to him, the accused is facing both criminal and civil charges at the same time over one case.

Counsel to NAFDAC, Ejiofor Kingsley, in his submission before the court, disagreed with the defence counsel, insisting that all legal procedures were duly followed in arraigning the accused and further averred that the matter is between the Federal Government and the accused. ‘‘The charges preferred against him are known to the law, while the accused has full knowledge of the charges against him,” he said.

In his ruling, Justice Yahaya Shehu ordered that the accused person should be in the custody of the prosecution, while January 12, next year has been set aside for ruling on the motion filed by the Defence counsel, urging the court to discharge the Indian.

The Indian was arrested for the importation of 1,500 cartons of fake RAMBO insecticides, valued at about N8 million. The alleged fake insecticide products were said to have been manufactured in China and moved into the country via Dubai in the Middle East.

The accused person allegedly conspired with some dubious businessmen based in China to fake the insecticide, which is the sole property of a Nigerian company, Gongoni, which also produces other insecticides such as BAYGON.

The items, which bear striking semblance with the genuine Gongoni products, it was gathered, were smuggled into the country through the Nigerian border with Niger in Katsina State.