The Nation Newspaper

Tag: My Pikin

  • Trial closes in My Pikin case

    Trial closes in My Pikin case

    The trial of a company, Barewa Pharmaceutical Company Limited and others ended yesterday before Justice Okeke of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

    They were charged by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) with allegedly producing a contaminated medication for children named: My Pikin Baby Teething Mixture.

    Those charged include the firm’s Chief Executive Officer, Gbadegeshin Okunlola and two of its employees – Adeyemo Abiodun and Egbele Eromosele, but Okunlola died October 27 last year. He was 58.

    Testifying yesterday, Eromosele, who is the company’s Quality Assurance Manager, denied that Barewa produced the contaminated syrup which is alleged to have killed over 80 children.

    He said: “The raw materials are brought to me before production of the mixture. I performed analysis of the raw materials and there was no contamination. I conduct the tests for all the raw materials.

    “The test complied with specification – meaning there was no contamination there. I followed the procedure in the purchase of raw materials, sampling and testing.

    “I was guided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Expert Committee on Verification of Pharmaceutical Preparations. We don’t produce anything known as My Pikin Paracetamol Syrup,”

     

     

  • ‘My Pikin’ case stalled again

    The trial of a company, Barewa Pharmaceutical Company Limited and others charged with the production of an alleged killer teething syrup, ‘My Pikin’, was stalled again yesterday.

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) charged the accused before the Federal High Court, Lagos.

    The case could not go on because Justice Okechukwu Okeke was said to be away on official assignment. The case was also stalled on Monday for the same reason.

    Barewa Pharmaceutical, its Chief Executive Officer, the late Gbadegeshin Okunlola and two workews Adeyemo Abiodun and Egbele Eromosele have been facing trial since March 8, 2009.

    The name of Okunlola, 58, a pharmacist, who died on October 27, last year, has been struck out.

    The defendants were re-arraigned on January 7 following the amendment of the charge; they pleaded not guilty and were granted bail.

    The teething syrup was alleged to have killed over 80 children.

    The offences contravene Section 1 (a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs, (Miscellaneous provisions) Act No. 25 of 1999.

    The court has since turned down the manufacturer’s request to strike out its name from the charge.

    The company’s lawyer, Mr Osaro Eghobamien, prayed the court to strike out its name following Okunlola’s death.

    He also asked the court to strike out the name the prosecution sought to replace that of the late Okunlola’s with, arguing that nobody should be made to stand trial in place of the deceased.

    The counsel noted that though the company was a legal entity, the director who was primarily responsible for the offence was now dead.

    Eghobamien submitted that Okunlola’s death should ordinarily have brought the case to an end.

    According to him, it would amount to malicious prosecution to attempt to substitute the name of the dead CEO with that of another director.

    He said since the offence for which the deceased was charged clearly touched on mens rea (intention), it suffices that only the deceased could answer for it.

    Rejecting the argument, Justice Okeke said such argument could not be made at this stage of the proceedings, when no body had been produced to replace the deceased.

    The trial is expected to continue today.

  • My Pikin: Court strikes off deceased maker’s name from charge

    My Pikin: Court strikes off deceased maker’s name from charge

    A Federal High Court, Lagos, on Wednesday struck out the name of the deceased Managing Director of Barewa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Kola Gbadegesin Okunlola from a trial he is facing for production and distribution of adulterated drugs.

    Okunlola, his company and two of its staff – Adeyemo Abiodun and Egbele Austin Eromosele were being tried for allegedly manufacturing and distributing adulterated drug: ‘My Pikin’ teething mixture, before his demise last month.

    The decision by Justice Okechukwu Okeke was informed by an application filed by the deceased’s lawyer, and to which a death certificate was attached, indicating Okunlola’s demise.

    Prosecution lawyer, Aminu Halilu informed the court about the “sworn declaration of the demise of the first accused person (Okunlola),” deposed to by Judith Egbeadumah, and a death certificate from St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos.

    He prayed the court to strike the deceased’s name from the charge in view of the development.

    “We are convinced and satisfied that the first accused person is dead. In view of this, we cannot continue with the case today. We urge the court to strike out his name from the charge,” he said.

    The court granted his request and struck the deceased’s name off the charge.

    When asked by the court who replaces the dead MD as representative of the company, being an inanimate party, Halihu sought an adjournment to enable him work that out with the defence.

    He also asked for an adjournment to enable him amend the charge to reflect current development in the case.

    Defence lawyer, Folabi Kuti did not object to adjournment, but prayed the court to set definite trial date in the case.

    He blamed the prosecution’s tardiness for the delay in the case which started about three years ago.

    He stated that the remaining accused persons were ready to ensure prompt conclusion of the case to enable them prove their innocence.

    Justice Okeke granted the prayer for adjournment and fixed further hearing for December 3.